Hard to Get
by mikata-chan
Summary: Cloud doesn’t need two children and a hyperactive ninja to hook him up with Tifa. Tifa has moved on and so has he. And he’s just thrilled for her. Just so damn thrilled. Cloti
1. Only Dreaming

Flowers, flowers everywhere. He'd had the dream enough times to know what was coming next. The wooden floors creaked under his weight as he walked towards the figure in pink. She was working diligently in a patch of yellow flowers, her back towards him. As he walked farther into the church, the floral smell became stronger. Pink, violet, and red petals all sailed through the air, although the pink ones were the only ones to ever get stuck in his hair.

"Aerith." he called softly. She didn't turn around. She didn't even acknowledge his presence. He came closer to her and called her name again, still no answer. She continued to work. "Aerith?" He asked, and she stood up, still not turning around. Well, at least it was something. Now was his cue to say something. But the words stuck like glue in his throat.

The first time he'd had this particular dream, he hadn't known where he was. There was the overwhelming smell of flowers, and a relentless wind . He remembered how surprised he'd been when a pair of arms flung around his neck and he was pulled into a familiar warmth. He'd known it was her right away. She felt so real and _alive._ But he hadn't known what to make of it . He just didn't want it to stop. The smell and feel of her hair when she pulled him to her with her soft, slender arms, the musical sound of her bracelets shifting by his ears...a time when those same arms fell limp by her sides as green reptilian eyes sparkled behind her, seemed almost non existent. Back then he'd spoken with so much ease. They could talk for hours and he was happy.

But he always felt different when he was in a more conscious mind, feeling strange for the time he'd spent with what was simply an illusion. In a conscious mind the dreams only highlighted her absence. But no matter how he felt about the dreams when he was awake, he found himself capitulating in his slumber.

In the dreams that followed he found that she would begin to fail to acknowledge his presence for longer periods of time. And his words began to fail him. Those emerald eyes would very rarely glance over at him, holding a bite he didn't know she was capable of. Now they didn't talk anymore and he usually just sat on a bench and watched her work in the flowers.

"Why don't you say anything?" Cloud asked, straightening in his seat as the wind suddenly stopped blowing. The happy, dreamlike atmosphere continued to evaporate. And he felt himself fall back into his true self, more the man who stood outside his dreams and found them strange, painful. "This isn't real." he muttered. This wasn't just fake, it was sick. If the real Aerith knew, what would she think? What would Tifa think? "I don't want these dreams..." He sighed. "Why can't I stop them?"

"I'd say it's pretty obvious. Cloud, you just can't let go, can you?" Cloud looked up quickly. Where the hell had that come from? Certainly Aerith hadn't... He stared wide eyed. If that had come from her, than dream-Aerith needed a throat lozenge, badly. Cloud jumped up when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see someone he thought he never would again.

"Zack?"

"In the flesh...er, but not really." Cloud backed away. Something about his friend's disposition was very real. Too real. "You really haven't changed much you know, you're just a little more brooding. My God, I thought that was Sephiroth's job."

"This isn't real." Cloud said disbelievingly.

"I suppose you'd think so. I mean, when has Aerith ever been so unfriendly? But I can't say I blame her. I'm pretty frustrated about this myself." He ran a hand through his massive shock of raven hair, sighing heavily.

"This isn't real." he repeated, stepping away from Zack. He eyed the other suspiciously, glancing once or twice at the girl still working in the flowers.

"Depends on what you think is real." Zack looked thoughtful for a moment but then shook his head. "But that's not what we need to talk about." Zack frowned as he fell into thought again. "Uh...maybe you should sit down." he motioned to the bench.

"No. This isn't right, this is a dream." Zack's eyes flashed.

"Hey wait a minute, I thought you liked this dream." Cloud frowned.

"Only when I'm sleeping. And even then I..." Cloud stopped.

"What?" Zack asked.

"Never mind. Let's_ talk_." His mouth tightened into a line and he sat down, still slightly suspicious.

"Okay then, how do I start? Oh! Okay...girls. Um..." his shoulders fell slack and he looked hopefully over his shoulder at Aerith.

"Just a _little _help?" he asked her. Aerith turned away from him, a ghost of a smile on her face. He turned back to a bemused Cloud. Zack laughed and took a seat next to him.

"You see, she's much better at making speeches than I am. But she won't help me with this one. Says I have to be the one to tell you. Except I don't exactly know what to say... where was I again?"

"Girls."

"Right, well girls are tricky creatures. Some flirt outright and some are never that obvious. I mean, I've met my share of girls who want me to be some kind of mind reader. But at some point there's a girl who doesn't bother with games. They make their feelings pretty apparent." his violet eyes widened to emphasize the point. "Then, you had better notice. But few of us ever do, and the good ones get away, you know?" He watched Cloud looking ahead, blue eyes intense as always. "Stop me if this reminds you of something."

"Tifa." he said quietly. Zack grinned.

"So you understand now!?" Cloud shot him a look. "You already knew?" Cloud gave a small solemn nod to indicate that yes, he did.

"Then what the hell?" Cloud leaned his elbows on his knees.

"It's not as easy as that Zack." he said, feeling strange to have actually addressed him by name.

"Well, Spike, you're not exactly making it any easier are ya?" Cloud rose up, looking away from both Aerith and Zack. There was a sardonic, almost amused smile.

"You wouldn't understand." it was said with no heat, only honest conviction.

"Pfft, you really believe that don't you?" Zack watched Aerith who was still kneeling at the flowerbed bed, but not working. "You're not alone you know." Cloud's smile melted away.

"I know." Zack chuckled.

"So you know that too. Now, I'm _really_ curious what's stopping you." Cloud frowned.

"I already told you. You wouldn't understand." Zack's eyes hardened.

"Well why wouldn't I?" There was a long silence in which Cloud simply stared ahead.

"Because I don't understand myself. So I couldn't tell you why, even if I wanted to. I don't know why I dream these things..." he glanced at Aerith. "Maybe I'm sick...wouldn't be anything new." Zack rolled his eyes.

"You know it's not about that. The bigger picture is about you. About you maybe letting someone in."

"Hm."

"And why not start with Tifa? Because it's clear tha-"

"Nothing's clear Zack. Nothing ever is, and I've accepted that. Tifa has a good thing, Zack. She knows what she wants, and she knows herself. Where I am right now, I'll only ruin that. And it's always where I'm going to be."

"Oh, stop it Cloud." he looked up to see a very frazzled Aerith. She frowned down on him, with one hand drawn into a small fist and the other holding a watering can. "You're taking what you have for granted. After all we've all been through, how could you?" she pointed her watering can at him for emphasis. "I don't want you to regret what you're doing right now." She sighed. "There's acceptance and then there's giving up Cloud. You have to figure out the difference."

The next morning, he woke in a bad mood. And somehow, despite not being the most intuitive person, he had a feeling the day was going to take that route. Because as much as he valued Zack and Aerith, their visit had left him rather irritated. He was a man. He had a couple kids- well they weren't technically _his_ kids- but he cared for the children in the house like they were his own. He had a job, working to keep his mind and hands busy, helping put food on the table. That was what a man did. But times when he found himself desperately lost, when it either came to Tifa or life in general he knew he was a boy. When his departed loved ones came to him in dreams, bearing golden solutions to his stagnance, he knew he was a boy. He wasn't even sure it had been for real. Either way, Cloud resented this. He resented himself, because no matter what he went through, conquered, no matter how much he grew, he was still a boy, lost in his own illusions.

"Cloud?" He opened his eyes to his darkened room. Tifa was there in the doorway in her bedclothes, looking wide awake. Before he could fully come to consciousness, she was at his window, pulling the thick curtains back. He closed his eyes again. Hearing Tifa's voice made him think of the dream again. He still didn't know where it had come from. He _wanted_ to move on. But then, Aerith had come and he couldn't deny her. All they had ever done was talk...in the dreams at least. It wasn't about forgiveness anymore, but something in him that refused to simply let go. Of what and why, he had no idea.

"You have three deliveries today, you have to get up eventually." Tifa let her forehead rest against the window. "I don't know why you keep it so dark in here."

"I like it dark." he said, eyes still closed.

"I bet." she smiled and came over to sit at the edge of his bed. "You're like a bat in a cave." Cloud didn't move. The shifting of the bed reminded him of another reason he knew he was a man. His strange reaction to her presence left him almost amused. Well, that was easy. Lust was simple. Any man with eyes could feel for her what had made it self known to his body this moment. But he knew she didn't want that (or _only_ that), and honestly, knew he didn't want that either. He was insane. What man wouldn't want that? Take advantage of such an opportunity? "I cooked breakfast." He could smell it already, he could smell her. He could smell her skin, her hair...and in the moment he wanted to smell that on his sheets. Just as soon as the thought came to him, a nausea washed over him. How could he think that about her, when she was his friend, when he knew he couldn't her give her anything beyond that, or anything of the other things she wanted and deserved. He thought about that dream again, and wondered if both Aerith and Zack understood that he _couldn't_ let anyone in. Most of all Tifa. All he could offer was food on the table, his presence for the children and problems. Asking her to be with him was asking her to get involved in all of the bullshit he carried around, 90 percent of it he didn't even understand. He cracked one eye open. Tifa swatted his shoulder.

"I knew that would get your attention." The innocent contact of her hand on his shoulder made both his eyes open. And seeing her there in her pajama shorts, looking pretty as always, he almost resented her. But he mostly resented the situation. He had wanted her, even as a child, and she had been unreachable. Now, she was right here and he was effectively standing in his own way.

He was still a bit drowsy, but he sat up in bed, his eyes still half lidded and bright with slumber. He needed to get downstairs, have some toast or something and get on his job. Not sit here sulking about the cards he'd been dealt in life. Cloud rolled his eyes at himself. Tifa was about to say something, but Cloud's hand chose the moment to rest on her leg. He swallowed. Why not deal his own cards? He suddenly removed his hand as if burned. What the hell was he thinking about? Tifa gave him a strange look.

"Cloud, what?..."

"I gotta take a shower, get out of here..." Cloud said, running a hand through his hair. "how many deliveries did you say I had?" He made to get out of bed but Tifa stopped him with a strong hand on his shoulder.

"Cloud are you okay?" he looked her in the eye. Her mouth was there and soft, and ready for him... he was dizzy and angry, frustrated with the vision in front of him, tantalizing and unreachable. Her hand came up to his face, and rebellion came alive in his veins like blue fire.

He took her hand away from his face and held it in his stronger one, leaning forward until he could feel her lips against his, open and unmoving. He could feel her other hand come up to his neck, her mouth start to move, and himself maneuvering them so that they could lay on his bed, but she suddenly pushed him away.

Just that felt like a bucket of ice water thrown over his head. What did he think he was doing? He was now very awake. Tifa looked at him like he was nuts, her mouth moving and no words coming out.

"I...Cloud..." He felt like a fool. And the way she looked right now, he kind of felt like an asshole too. This was exactly what he wanted to avoid. Tifa was a smart woman, she knew he had problems, that being with him meant having those problems with him, that being with him would probably be nothing but sex and friendship. He didn't exactly mind that, but he knew that she definitely did. "I can't...I just...don't think it's a good idea..." she was quick to stand up and nearly fly through door. Thankyou Zack. But Cloud couldn't really pin it on him, all of this was his doing. His problem. And fixing or facing it, did not seem to be an option. All he could do was accept it.

(A/N: And so the story embarks. I'm finding this challenging to write but I'm having fun nonetheless. I hope you enjoyed it and the next chapter should be coming. Please tell me what you think, whether it's just comment or criticism. Adios!)


	2. Sorry

The next morning after having avoided Tifa as much as possible the day before, Cloud left early to start work, leaving a note before he left. He took off into the chilly morning fog, still feeling very much a fool. He didn't know how he was even going to face her. He felt like a boy suddenly, fretting over something that perhaps adults should be able to simply get over. But it _wasn't_ that simple. Nothing with him ever was.

Well, regardless he needed to reign himself in. He wasn't a boy, he was a man. And he was sure part of that entailed self control. He'd made so many mistakes with Tifa, treated her more like an outsider, left, and avoided her affections. He knew he'd done those things and he knew he couldn't afford to make any more mistakes. He knew that he owed her at least that much. And that was what he was going to give her.

"_Delivery."_

_- Cloud_

Tifa read the note and set it aside, a little thankful that the awkward situation would be put off for a while. She wasn't sure how she was going to handle it. She knew him, and knew that even in his clearest moments there was often an underlying uncertainty. She wished he wouldn't question himself so much, but she supposed it came with everything that had gone on. But it was a definite factor in the reason she'd decided not to try and get involved with him any further than friendship. And then there was the fact that her love had remained unrequited. She loved him of course, but she wasn't completely sure he could be...completely sure.

Besides, she was happy with their friendship. That was normal, and safe. She was comfortable with it. She didn't need to take anymore risks in her lifetime.

Still there was a little part of her that thought that maybe...

She shook her head and busied herself with the dishes in the sink, figuring she had some time before opening. She was elbow deep dishwater when the chimes at the door rang. She quickly turned around, splashing the counters in the process.

"Whoa easy there! S'just me." Tifa blinked, looked him in the eye. She turned her back to him to retrieve a towel.

"I'm closed." she said, not really in the mood for his antics. And then there was the Turk thing. She heard his footsteps move across the floor towards her.

"Come on, you open in like, five minutes anyway right?" He smoothed out his blue suit. She glanced at him.

"Forty five." The man ran a hand through his red hair and looked at his watch.

"Five, forty five, what's the difference?"

"Forty minutes I think." Tifa pressed her mouth together. "I told you, I'm closed." she said putting the towel down on the counter. He didn't leave. "Is there something you want?" He moved to lean on the counter.

"Hey, why so hostile? I thought we all put the past behind us." Tifa, leaned her elbows on the bar, standing directly across from him.

"Because it's just that easy isn't it?" She made it apparent that she was looking at his blue suit. Reno straightened his lapels, only to have them crinkle up again.

"Oh this old thing? Shinra is a new deal."

"What do you mean?" Tifa asked.

"We're rebuilding yo."

"What?" Tifa looked incredulous.

"We're a different deal now, I'm a different deal." Tifa scoffed.

"Right, so what exactly does a turk do now?"

"No dirty work." he frowned. "It's a shame." Tifa narrowed her eyes.

"How-"

"I'm kidding."

"No, you aren't."

"You got me. Hey, I was good at what I did, sue me. But I'm getting off track, what I'm saying is that we were all working together. We should put the past behind us, it's a new day!" Tifa thought about it, they did help with the last battle. But that had totally been self interest. Still... she thought about everything turks did, everything Shinra had done. History repeats itself after all.

"Didn't we beat those silver haired crazies together?" Tifa sighed.

"Fine, but I'm still closed." she turned her back to him and continued with the dishes. Reno pursed his lips.

"You're kidding right?"

"No."

"I just want a drink!" Tifa shrugged.

"Thirty eight minutes." She tried not to smile.

"Fine, I'll just wait." Tifa turned around and considered him, she turned back to her dishes and decided there was really no harm in letting him stay.

"So, where's chocobo head?" Reno saw her shoulders tense, but he didn't know why. Tifa started to put the plates up in the cabinet.

"Work." the clinking of the dishes filled the silence and Reno yawned.

"I knew you guys would end up together." Tifa nearly dropped the plate she was holding.

"We're not." it was terse but there was a lot behind those two words and Reno wasn't so dense that could miss something so obvious. So, she was single? What was Cloud, an idiot?

"You're not? Well, why the hell not?" But he was so dense that he didn't know when to drop the subject. Tifa sighed and closed the cabinet.

"I'll make you that drink now." she took out a glass from under the bar. "What'll it be?"

Reno rested his face in his palm, looking at her curiously.

"Thirty minutes Tifa." she froze for a moment, not liking the look in his eyes at all. She swallowed.

"Are you turning down a drink?" She asked. Reno smirked.

"Tch,_ no_." he lit a cigarette. "I'm just surprised you're actually being nice to me." Tifa shrugged. "I'll have any whiskey you like." Tifa scrunched her nose.

"I don't drink whiskey." Reno looked scandalized.

"Are you serious? You can't be serious. Well, okay just pick one out. I'm not picky." Tifa got one out and poured the amber liquid into the glass, and it sloshed around looking like something saccharine, kind of like really diluted syrup. Reno sighed after he took a gulp.

"Have you ever tasted Wutainese whiskey? Strongest shit I've ever had." Tifa sat down behind the bar. "Now that I think of it, I could really go for some now." Tifa didn't say anything back to him.

"You know, you never answered my question." Tifa was about to tell him to mind his business but she stopped herself. She wasn't going to make a big deal out of it.

"We're friends." she blew into her bangs.

"Why?" He saw something flash across her dark eyes and he knew he'd gone too far.

"Why do you care?" Reno set his empty glass down.

"Honestly, I could care less. But obviously, chocobo head is a bigger idiot than I thought."

"Don't you talk about him that way." Tifa said hotly. Reno knew he'd stepped over another line. But he couldn't help finding her attractive in her anger. He stood up and scribbled something on a piece of paper.

"But I, am not an idiot." he handed her the piece of paper, and she looked on it to a see a phone number.

"I'm sorry but I can't accept it." she attempted to give it back, the firstlings of a smile on her face. What a bizarre morning she was having. Reno looked perplexed for a second, Tifa was sure not many girls turned him down.

"What? Aren't you single?" Tifa didn't say anything but the answer was clear. "Then why not? Oh, I see."

"What do you see?" she asked in good humor. Reno only looked at her, smile wry. She dropped the phone number on the counter when the chimes at the door sounded.

"I'll be going then." Cloud eyed him as they crossed paths and it was clear he wasn't keen on being best friends with him either. His gaze was cold and Reno knew better than to mess with the blond. He left without a word to Cloud.

"What was he doing here?" Tifa smiled at him.

"Being Reno." Cloud wasn't sure the answer satisfied him, but there were bigger things to talk about.

"Tifa." she looked at him expectantly. "Yesterday, I...got out of hand." Tifa bit her lip. "I'm sorry. It was my mistake." Tifa frowned. Mistake? That's what he was calling it? Cloud was oblivious to how she was really taking it in his haste to make things right. Tifa nodded solemnly and after a few moments of silence, he retreated upstairs.

Tifa couldn't help the indignation she was feeling. That was so typical. So typical that she had even called it before hand and was more disappointed with the tiny part of her that had bought into it. And she picked up the piece of paper from the counterand looked at it._ 'It was my mistake_.' his words echoed in her head. She placed the paper in a glass jar on the counter.

"No, I think it was mine."

(A/N: Yay! I wasn't even planning on updating this yet. All I can say right now is that I have quite a few plans for this. I can't wait to really get this rolling. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Y'all are awesome. Till next time.)


	3. Spark

He walked downstairs to the smell of breakfast, listening clinking of the pots and pans and the voices of the children. He knew that Tifa had sensed his presence already and yet she didn't look up. He figured that she still must've been put off by his kiss.

"Cloud, you're up!" He looked down to see Marlene's bright smile. He nodded and glanced over to Tifa again. She was still busy serving the rest of the children their meals. He looked back down at Marlene, who was also looking at Tifa.

"Is Tifa okay?" Cloud cocked and eyebrow.

"Why?"

"I don't know. She's seems sad." Marlene said, now looking at the floorboards. Cloud could see it too. Cloud put a hand on Marlene's shoulder and she looked up at him.

"You don't need to worry about Tifa." Marlene looked uncertain for a second and then smiled, nodding and heading off to breakfast. Cloud wished he could buy into his own words.

Tifa heard his heavy footsteps coming closer to her while she washed her hands off in the sink. She didn't look up. Things were still a bit awkward between them and she was still unable to stop thinking about how and why she'd let her defenses drop so easily. She was frustrated with him because he knew just how to pull those strings and did it even through his own oblivion. And then there was Reno's number. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do with it.

She moved to put the towel back but instead she collided with something. She looked up to see Cloud watching her. She backed away from him, laugh slightly forced.

"Sorry." she said, her smile not complete.

"Tifa." She looked to his face reluctantly, finding his closeness slightly uncomfortable. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine." She frowned when the answer that came out was hardly convincing. He stepped back and leaned back on the stove.

"No, it's not." His response surprised her. "You're not fine."

"Cloud, I'm fine. Really." he didn't believe it. Cloud glanced at the children and extended his hand. Tifa frowned, but took it, following him outside onto the steps. They stood there for a while in silence.

"I really am fine." she said quietly._ Eventually_, she thought.

"I wouldn't have-" Tifa put a hand on is shoulder and he looked at her at her. She didn't want to hear him apologize again for that kiss and tell her it was a mistake.

"Cloud, since when do I dwell on things?" _All the time_. "We've been through a lot more than this. You...kissed me." she really hated herself for blushing. "I think I can handle that."

Weeks passed they seemed to settle back into their normal roles. The both of them were determined to simply forget the tiny disruption. Only they were in store for another disruption, except this time, not so tiny.

Cloud came down the stairs just in time for the jingling of the bell on the door to fins his ear. He looked up to see two men come through in a burst of sunlight. The bar was almost full, but unfortunately not too full for a certain redhead ans his baldheaded partner to waltz in. Tifa looked up as well, a question in her eyes. She watched as Cloud tensed and moved to the front of the bar.

Cloud met them near the door. For a second she caught the redhead's eye and he winked at her. She shook her head and wiped the glass she was holding before joining them. She just hoped nothing bad had happened. Whenever the Turks were involved it was usually safe to assume that something had.

"We're not here to cause any trouble." Reno said before spinning his chair around backwards and flopping down onto it. Rude sat down as well, looking rather stiff and uncomfortable. "If we could have a moment of your time?" Reno asked, pushing a chair out for Cloud with his foot. Cloud really wasn't in the mood. He was ready to tell them to leave but he felt a hand on his arm and he looked down at Tifa's face. Calming down a bit he spoke evenly.

"What do you want?" he said ignoring the chair Reno had kicked out for him. Rude scratched his chin. Reno shrugged.

"How bout you Tifa?" Reno asked slyly, motioning to the chair. His voice broke through her thoughts and she ceased from biting her lip to politely decline.

"You're stalling." Cloud said. Reno tore his eyes away from Tifa to look at a manila folder in his hands.

"Well...we were wondering if you would accept an award." Tifa frowned and Cloud didn't seem fazed at all, he simply waited for the catch. Reno went on. "For what you've done." Cloud's smile wasn't friendly.

"For what I've done." Now why would a corporation he'd hand a hand in destroying want to give him an award? It was the most absurd thing he'd ever heard.

"It will be broadcasting-" Tifa frowned.

"Wait a minute." everyone looked at her. "Broadcasting?" Tifa was starting to get an idea of what this was about. "You-"

"ShinRa will be reestablished along with Midgar. These ruins are depressin' people. The people need-" Cloud couldn't believe his ears, ShinRa rebuilding? Hadn't they learned from their mistakes?

"You're not concerned about what the people need. I'm not interested." Cloud said as calmly as he could. Tifa shook her head.

"You think that if Cloud accepts this award the people will be more open?" Cloud looked at her. Reno laughed and Rude's eyebrow's arced above his shades.

"Beautiful and smart huh?" Reno said, grinning. Cloud didn't want to hear anymore, but before he could speak Reno did. "Yes, it's just for that purpose. But before you make up your mind about it, think about the good things that ShinRa has done." Cloud scoffed. "Think about what a difference the reconstruction will make in these people's lives. Think about how you accepting this award will ease the tension between ShinRa and the public."

Cloud was surprised that he would divulge all of this, but he still felt they were up to their old tricks. However, Tifa was being a bit more lenient, considering the chat they's had weeks ago.

"How are we supposed to believe your intentions are good? After all that's happened? After all that's been done? Look at where it's gotten us." Tifa said. Rude finally spoke.

"We're not your enemies anymore." Reno smiled, nodding.

Cloud refused to believe any of it.

"No." He said moving away from them. Reno frowned.

"Fine. We'll give you time to think it over." Both Turks rose from the table. "But before I leave, I think a drink is in order."

Tifa didn't think it was out of the question, but Cloud clearly didn't share the same opinion. She sighed and beckoned him over to her.

"Tifa?" she grasped his gloved hand.

"They're not our enemies anymore Cloud." Cloud shook his head.

"Don't you remember?" Tifa frowned.

"I remember everyday." she said gravely. Cloud's expression softened.

"We can't trust them, it's dangerous." He said with obvious concern. "I have a delivery now." he said looking at the Turks over his shoulder. Tifa poked him.

"I can protect myself. _If_ I need to." Cloud cast a contemptuous side glance at the duo. She didn't want another rift between them but a something told her that maybe this time it could be different. The thought of that seemed almost too romantic, but she had hope. "Cloud, these are times of second chances. Everything that has happened has changed everyone." He looked down at her and took a deep breath.

"I'm leaving, call me if there is trouble." He reluctantly walked out of the door and left her with the Turks.

Tifa walked behind the bar and Reno and Rude sat on the stools. She poured their choice of alcohol in glasses and sat behind the bar.

"What's his problem?" Tifa looked at him like he was stupid.

"Guess." she said flatly.

"Well all that's history." He said swallowing his drink.

"You come in here and expect him to just be okay with it?"

"Well...no. But he could've been a bit more courteous." he grinned.

"So could you."

"I'm just doing my job."

"You have some nerve."

"And you, have beautiful eyes." Tifa shook her head, unable to stop herself from smiling. Rude rolled his eyes behind his shades.

"You aren't going to hound Cloud about this anymore, are you?" Reno blinked.

"We're giving him time to think about it. After that, if he still says no, what can we do?" the exasperation his voice did not go unnoticed. He ran his finger over the rim of his glass.

"I honestly hate these kind of assignments, but I took it once I heard that we'd have to come here." Tifa watched him with eyes that told him she knew exactly what he was up to.

"I couldn't pass up a chance to see you again." Tifa rested her chin on her hand, her face close to his.

"Refill?"

Rude left about two drinks later and Tifa waved goodbye to the stoic man. But Reno stayed much longer, amazingly enough, still pretty much sober. He and Tifa talked, or more accurately he talked and she nodded from time to time. Sometimes she would respond and she had to admit that he did talk about interesting though sometimes bizarre things, so it wasn't so bad to listen.

Just when her late night customers were starting to come in, he glanced at his watch and got up from his seat.

"Well, I gotta go. Call me sometime." with that he left, passing Cloud on the way out. It was deja vu. She saw Cloud glance at the clock and frown.

"Were there any problems?" Tifa watched the regular late night customers filter in turned to look at him.

"No, we just talked. Well...he talked." she laughed, and he was stonefaced.

"You talked to him?" Tifa rolled her eyes, remembering how talkative the Turk had been.

"If you can call it that, it was a lot of nonsense." she sighed, maybe nonsense she'd enjoyed a little.

(A/N: And it starts. This chapter is very much like a starting point for me so I put a lot of thought into it. My head hurts. I appreciate your reviews and opinions so much, I'd love to hear more. Harsh criticism, comment, whatever, I love em all. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.)


	4. Shock

Cloud rolled his sleeves up above his elbows before beginning the messy job that was washing the dishes. He heard the water running upstairs and he guessed Tifa was taking her shower, just as she always did around that time. He dried off a plate and put it in the cabinet, thinking a bit about the Shinra's proposal. Second chances...he didn't think something like that could even apply to them. He just couldn't bring himself to believe ShinRa could be up to anything good. Him? Accept an award? It was funny, but he hardly felt like laughing when he thought about it.

Lost in his thoughts he pulled the handle up on the faucet too hard and a jet of water came out equally as hard, spraying him on the face and all over the front of his clothes. He cursed and grabbed a towel from off of the counter, wiping his face. When he took the towel away he was surprised to see Tifa in front of him, wearing just a towel and an amused expression.

"And I thought I was the one taking a shower."

"You're very funny."

"I know." she said quietly, adjusting her towel. Practically by themselves, his eyes found her bare legs, moving from her toes to her ankles, to her calves, then her thighs, stopping abruptly as her towel interrupted him. When he realized what he had been doing he coughed and turned back to the dishes, ashamed.

"What?" Tifa asked, looking at his hands rest in the sink.

"Your hair is dripping on the floor." he said, not looking at her.

"So is yours." Tifa pointed out cheekily. Cloud realized that it was. Tifa walked up to him and picked up a towel.

"Why are you down here?" Cloud said a little harshly through his own frustration. Tifa let it roll off of her back and went to drying off his hair. Cloud gently took the small towel from her hand and did it himself, Tifa sighed.

"Well, I heard you down here and I wondered what was wrong." Tifa said, looking into his eyes. "I see now." she said eyeing the front of his soaked shirt. "And...I told you I'd do the dishes, you'll be late with your delivery." she said. Cloud finished drying his hair and Tifa watched with delight as his previously limp wet spikes popped back up to their normal position. Cloud ran a hand through his hair.

"You can't do everything around here." Tifa looked at her toes, it was true. But working kept her effectively distracted.

"I know. Thanks." Cloud nodded. "But you still need to get to work." She smiled and was about to go upstairs when the chime on the door sounded. Cloud frowned as Reno let himself in. There was about an hour until opening. He was sure the Turk could at least read.

"We're closed."he said curtly. And he was at least being polite, he could have just as easily told him to just get out. Reno smiled.

"Yeah I know..." he said dreamily. Cloud noted that the man's eyes weren't on him but instead resting on something behind him. Cloud followed his gaze to Tifa. With a spark of understanding upon looking back to see Reno's eyes still glued to a towel clad Tifa, Cloud frowned, quickly turning to face Tifa, effectively blocking most of her from view.

"Maybe you should go upstairs." Cloud glanced at Reno out of the corner of his eyes, thinking that once Tifa was gone and Reno managed to put his eyes back in his head, he could set him straight.

"You should probably calm down."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I bet." Tifa smiled knowingly at him, but beneath it was a very real warning. Tifa could very clearly see that Cloud was eager to get her out of the way so he could make his mind known to the man. But she refused to have any of that in her house. She was trying to let go of the past, so why couldn't Cloud?

"I'd like a drink." Reno said, interrupting. Cloud frowned.

"I'll give you s-"

"Cloud..." Tifa could see his words before he even said them.

"What?" Cloud wondered what she could possibly be using _that_ tone for. They were closed. And he had tried to be civil, only to have the man brush it off and start undressing Tifa with his eyes.

"You're being rude." She said in a low voice. Cloud couldn't believe her. _He_ was being rude? Reno observed with amusement. He watched as Cloud and Tifa whispered back and forth. Cloud's mouth tightened into a line.

"We're closed." he said again to Reno. Tifa gave Reno a stern look when she caught him staring. He removed his eyes, for his own good.

"He can stay." she couldn't look at him directly when she said it, but she didn't have to look to know that Cloud wouldn't be happy about it. He gave his complete attention to Tifa.

"We're not open yet." he said through his teeth. Tifa rolled her eyes.

"No kidding?" she said sarcastically.

"There are plenty of other bars open now. He could get his drink somewhere else."

"This isn't about the bar and you know it." Cloud frowned. "As much as I think it would be great if we could all get along I know it will take time. You can't blame one person for all that Shinra did." Tifa knew it would be hard for him and she didn't blame him. She wasn't even going to try and push for his forgiveness. If it happened it would happen on its own. But she wasn't going to sit idle and watch Cloud prolong a grudge for the both of them. She didn't mind going out of her way to patch up something so old and unpleasant.

"I told him what my decision was, that isn't going to change. He's wasting his time." Tifa agreed on that. If Reno came just to hound Cloud over the award then he really was wasting his time. He might as well leave right now. Cloud watched her closely.

"Seriously guys, this is the only time I have off today. I'd like to get a drink before I die." Tifa, pursed her lips and glared at him from behind Cloud and Reno shrugged as if to say 'What?' She tried to figure out the best way to handle this.

"Okay, you can have one drink. One. And then you leave." Tifa said.

"One?!" Reno asked. Tifa raised an eyebrow.

"We _are_ closed." Reno closed his mouth and Cloud gave her a strange look. He didn't even have to ask for her to know that he was wondering why. The answer was easy. She wasn't willing to hold the grudge any longer. Maybe she was thankful for their help back when everything could've been uprooted again, maybe she was thankful for company, or maybe she was thankful for a distraction.

She gave Cloud an expectant look.

"You'll be late for work." Cloud was very close to saying that he wouldn't be going anywhere while Reno was around but he remembered that Tifa could take care of herself and would say just that if he said what was on his mind. He knew Tifa had always been compassionate and forgiving, and he had always admired that. That was the only thing keeping him from tossing the Turk out by force.

"I'm going to get dressed, I'll be right back down." Tifa left and Cloud decided to wait until she came back down. He was at least glad she was putting on some clothes.

Cloud turned to face Reno, his gaze cold and mistrustful. He leaned back against the sink and crossed his arms.

"Are you going to serve me today?" Reno said jokingly. Cloud didn't laugh, he didn't even move. All he could think about was Shinra rebuilding. Reno tapped his fingers on the counter and sighed, looking at the pictures on the wall. He supposed it was better if Cloud didn't get him his drink. Reno wasn't too keen on waking up in gutter somewhere.

Finally Cloud spoke.

"This isn't going to happen again." he said gravely. Cloud was starting to see a trend with Reno's constant visits and he didn't appreciate it. He didn't want him around him, Tifa or the children. Reno only smirked.

"I think that depends on what Tifa has to say about it." Cloud narrowed his eyes, but stayed where he was. Reno's eyes sparkled. "Sometimes, I wonder how a girl like that is still single." Reno watched him closely and the air practically crackled between them. Cloud leaned back on the counter and crossed his arms. "I have to admit, I didn't really come for the drink." Cloud's facial expression didn't change.

"My answer was final." Reno yawned.

"I figured as much, but I didn't come for that either. Shinra will rebuild regardless of your answer."

"Why are you here then?"

"I wanted to talk to Tifa." Cloud blinked.

"What?" Reno lit a cigarette.

"You heard me." Cloud narrowed his eyes and approached the man slowly. He was about to give him a piece of his mind when Tifa came down the stairs. He watched Reno watch her, disgusted.

"Cloud you're still here?" Tifa said, sensing the tension. Cloud didn't want to leave but there was work to be done. Tifa hugged him goodbye, whispering into his ear not to worry. Cloud knew she could handle herself and he left, not without a warning glance at the redhead.

Reno sat down and sighed dramatically.

"Well, he's finally gone." Tifa glared at him and got the drink she remembered he liked.

She set it down hard on the counter and sat on a stool behind the bar. Reno sensed she wasn't too pleased with him and he put out his cigarette. "What did I do?" Tifa didn't reply, the question too obvious to deserve a response. The silence lingered. "I thought we were cool now." he said disbelievingly.

"Not yet. And if you pull a stunt like that ever again we won't ever be." she said sternly. Reno exhaled. "Because this is his home too and if he wants you out, that's what you'll be." Reno sipped his drink slowly and Tifa watched him for a few seconds before speaking again.

"What are you really here for?" she asked skeptically. Reno set his glass down slowly. Boy, she was quick-witted. He smiled. Or maybe she'd been eavesdropping. But he gave her the benefit of the doubt.

"A drink. Like I said." Reno said easily.

"Mmmhmm." her tone clearly told him that she didn't believe him.

"You don't believe me?" Tifa set her elbows on the table and put her face in her hands.

"There are other bars that are actually open." Reno scratched his head.

"Well I wanted to come to this one."

"Why?"

"Because none of the other bars have such a pretty bartender."

"Reno..."

"What? It's the truth." Tifa looked at him.

"You are so..."

"Handsome? I know."

"No, I was going for more like...cheesy." she smiled.

"But you like it don' t you?" Tifa shrugged.

"Maybe." Tifa surprised herself, was she _flirting?_

"I knew it." he said, laughter in his eyes. Tifa mused offhandedly that they were quite a pretty shade of blue.

"Really though, why did you come?" Tifa asked. Reno looked into his half full glass, he couldn't remember ever drinking so slowly.

"There's this woman." he started, raising his eyes to hers. "You might know her. She's got these pretty brown eyes, a bright smile and a hell of a punch. I wanted to ask her if she would go out with me somewhere." Reno pulled out two tickets and Tifa looked on curiously.

"Where are you going to ask her out?" Tifa said, playing along.

"The opera."

"The opera? You keep surprising me Reno." she said looking at the tickets.

"I wish I could tell you I was actually into stuff like this."

"Then why-"

"I won them. Thought it might be an interesting date. I'm up for something new, and it's an excuse to get dressy." he said lamely. It was clear Reno had already made up his mind about how much he liked opera, but Tifa could see he was trying to impress her. The thought that he'd sit through an opera for her was sweet but Tifa couldn't accept his advances.

She heard a small voice at the stairs and looked to find Marlene, yawning and clearing the sleep out of her eyes. She realized she usually had breakfast almost ready by this time and couldn't believe how she let time get away from her.

"The kids..." she was about to walk away when Reno quickly downed the last of his drink and grabbed her hands in his.

"Tifa?" Reno looked into her eyes and could see the reluctance.

"I...I can't." she said.

"Why not?" Tifa didn't know how to answer the question. "I'll tell you what. You can think about it okay? Either way, come nine o clock I'll be sitting in seat E 23." he handed her a ticket. "I hope you decide to show up. You won't regret it if you do."

Reno released her and promptly left, leaving her in somewhat of a daze. She put it in the back of her mind and pulled out the egg carton, in a hurry to get breakfast prepared.

The day passed in a blur and Tifa was resting on the couch in between sleep and wakefulness when Cloud walked in. She could tell he was tired too because he immediately settled down in the easy chair right next to the sofa.

"Busy day?" she asked. He nodded.

"You too?"

"Absolutely, on my feet all day." she smiled wearily. Cloud sank into the chair.

"Paulson was a difficult customer today."

"Didn't I tell you you'd be late? You know she's big on punctuality." Cloud took his boots off.

"I know, I know. You were right."

"Of course I was. What would you do without me?" Cloud relaxed, stretching his muscles out.

"I don't know." A silence settled in, a nice comfortable one.

"Was everything okay with Reno?" Cloud suddenly asked.

"He didn't cause any trouble if that's what you mean. I wish you'd give him a chance." Cloud closed his eyes.

"If you were him, wouldn't you want forgiveness?" Cloud immediately thought about Aerith. "We all make mistakes and if just seems wrong to pin everything on him." Cloud knew she was right, but he started to feel irritated like he was earlier.

"Why did you want him to stay?" Tifa hesitated in her answer and Cloud caught it.

"Because he deserves a second chance." Cloud could understand that, but Tifa had let him in two hours early. Tifa could sense that the air had changed.

"What did he want?" Cloud said shortly. "He didn't just come for a drink." Tifa was fully awake now.

"I know." she said quietly. Cloud frowned.

'You know?"

"Yeah. He uh..asked me out." Cloud's eyes shot open.

"_What?"_ Tifa sat up, was it so hard to believe? Cloud couldn't explain why he suddenly had the urge to punch the Turk's lights out. He'd seen it in the man's eyes but hearing this from Tifa really made it worse. He didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.

"You said no." Cloud said more than asked.

"Yes, I did." Tifa looked at him, not liking his tone at all. "But I thought about saying yes." Cloud snapped his head towards her.

"You can't be serious." Tifa narrowed her eyes.

"Why not?"

"Because he's a Turk. Because of everything he stands for."

"Why can't you realize that it's all in the past?" Cloud stood up, looking at her incredulously. He looked at her like she'd gone and betrayed him. And she didn't want him to feel that way. It wasn't her intention at all. But at the same time she wished he wouldn't be so damn stubborn. Why should a grudge he couldn't let go of prevent her from moving on?

"Because it isn't. We both see the damage everyday Tifa." Cloud couldn't believe her.

"They're trying to fix it now Cloud." Tifa said, standing up herself. He couldn't find it in himself to forgive, not yet. And he thought Tifa of all people would understand that.

"How can you trust him? He might be doing this for Shinra." Tifa looked flabbergasted.

"You mean...to get to you." Cloud knew instantly that he'd said the wrong thing. "Because it's just crazy that Reno might actually ask me out for me, right?" He could see she was hurt. Tifa quickly walked out of the room, angry , hurt and uncertain. She grabbed her coat and Cloud was hot on her heels.

"Tifa, I didn't mean-" Tifa whipped around her fingers flying down the row of buttons.

"I'm so tired of hearing you say that you don't mean it." Cloud was completely confused by the comment. Not getting involved with her was the best option, didn't she see that? Hadn't she wanted him to take it back? Tifa couldn't even look at him. "I'll be out with Reno." Cloud frowned.

"You can't..."

"I can and I will." she moved to go out of the door but she stopped in midstep. "You know, I wish..I wish you'd just make up your mind." She said, before taking her exit. Cloud could only stand there, speechless.

(A/N: I hope you all liked this chapter. I thought it was about time I got into the conflict. I was fun writing it. For all you hardcore Cloti fans, most likely there will be some Reti going on. But mainly remember this _is_ a Cloti. It's about Cloud and Tifa. I felt I had to update this one because I haven't in a while and I know school is dawning. So I will possibly be busy busy! Wish me luck on my Junior year. Anyway thanks for reading, I really appreciate it. Ideas for this story are just popping up all over the place now. I'm definitely excited. I'll see y'all later. Ciao for now.)


	5. Beginnings

Tifa burned a path down the street, still running on the steam that had built up from the fight.

Her strides were strong and her pace quick as she replayed his words over and over in her head._ The nerve of him._ She kept on her route, but pretty soon she slowed and then eventually came to a stop. She had gotten into such a tizzy she had forgotten to dress properly for the opera, hell, she wasn't even sure where the place was. She pulled the ticket out of her pocket, searching for an address.

There was an address but it was unfamiliar. _Well, this is just great._ She didn't want to go back home yet. If she did there was hardly a doubt in her mind that they would get into another argument. They both needed some time alone. There would certainly be enough time for awkward situations between them, there was no need to go home rushing into one.

Tifa continued to walk, deciding to ask for directions from a nearby diner she remembered going to with Cloud once. She tugged at her sleeve and realized that the jacket was his. Cloud's jacket. And she was wearing it now as she went off to a date with another man. The thought stopped her cold in her tracks, but she was immediately jolted back into action as a car came speeding by, close enough that she felt it almost graze her hip.

The horn honked after the car had screeched to a stop and Tifa tried to catch her breath. What was it with drivers in Edge? She frowned and turned around, shading her eyes from the bright headlights. She was about to walk away and make an attempt at a good night, but the driver was obviously didn't care.

"You always walk in the middle of the street?!" Tifa squinted her eyes. She hadn't been walking in the middle of the street, had she? Surely thoughts about Cloud hadn't gotten her so distracted. She glanced again over her shoulder, only to be blinded by headlights. Maybe she should apologize, if she had indeed been walking in the middle of the street then this whole thing _was_ her fault. "There's this thing called a sidewalk asshole!"

Tifa rethought her apologies. She started to walk away but the man kept honking and her already frayed patience snapped. She approached the car, her hand shielding her eyes. The man was by the passenger's side checking the paint, as if _his car_ was the one who nearly got it's head taken off.

"Excuse me." The man stood up, still eyeing his car. She came closer, still shading her eyes from the lights. "Excuse me." she said again. The man stood up.

"My car...shit...you're a wo-" He squinted, finally dipping inside to turn off the lights. Tifa took her hand away from her face, mouth dropping when she saw that familiar head of red hair.

"Reno?" He bowed out of the car, his eyes wide. Tifa didn't know what to say.

"I..." He was just about the last person she was expecting. She suddenly found her words. "Are you always so aggressive behind the wheel?" Reno ground his teeth together nervously.

"Tifa, if I knew it was you..." Tifa knew she shouldn't, but she found the whole thing a little funny. "I didn't even know you were a woman." Okay, not that funny. The realization of his own words hit him. "I mean..you know." Tifa raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think I do." Reno pushed a hand into his hair.

"Fuck...s'not what I meant, you were far away." Tifa nodded. She did have on Cloud's jacket.

"Oh." Reno searched her face.

"Because I would never talk to a woman like that." Reno wiggled his eyebrows. "Unless she was into that kind of thing." Tifa rolled her eyes. "Do you always walk in the middle of the road?" She smiled sheepishly.

"Was I really?" Reno nodded. "I'm sorry about that. I guess I just have a lot on my mind." Reno didn't push for details, but something told him it had to do with a certain blonde somebody.

"Yeah? Well I wouldn't make a habit out of it, you could get hit that way, yo." Tifa smiled, noticing the sky was now completely dark.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine, you?"

"Alright. Hey, wait a minute. What happened to the opera?" Reno's eyes darkened.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing." Tifa watched as a neon sign nearby came on.

"I couldn't find it, I came out and realized I didn't know where I was going." She shrugged. "I ran out so fast-" Tifa stopped herself and there was an abrupt silence. _I ran out so fast, because of Cloud. I was going to the opera because of Cloud. _Ramuh, she needed a life. And maybe she needed to explain to Reno that they couldn't be any more than friends. She didn't want to lead him on, because even if she was single she was still so painfully and obviously attached to that oblivious man. But that's not what came out of her mouth.

"We should go somewhere." Shock registered on Reno's face for just the slightest of seconds and Tifa wondered where the words had come from. "What?"

"Just usually when you call a girl an asshole and a man in the same day, she probably wants nothing to do with you."

"Let's just say, I'm not one to hold grudges." She gave him a pointed look and descended into his car. He chuckled and watched as she bent down into his prized possession, enjoying a view that most certainly in every way, woman.

Meanwhile Cloud paced the living room debating whether or not to go after her. He glanced out of the window, his mouth set in a firm line. Nothing. He moved to the window behind the couch to see if she was still in sight. He thought about her last words to him and sighed.

_I wish you'd make up your mind._

Honestly, he didn't know what she wanted from him. But he did know that he didn't want her out there with _him._ What he wanted was for her to come back so he could apologize for his careless words and maybe for the things he still didn't understand. _Women._ He glanced out of the window again, stuffing his hands into his pockets. The same hands that were dying to wrap themselves arou-

"Cloud! Hey...oh. Want me to come back later?" Cloud's violent thoughts were interrupted by a high pitched exclamation. He turned away from the window.

"Yes." He said, not in the mood for company or to leave the girl alone downstairs with all the alcohol. But somehow he knew he'd be ignored.

"Well, too bad. I'm staying. Thought I'd treat myself to a drink." He shrugged and followed her to the bar, sparing one last glance at the window. No one. Yuffie ran her fingers over the various bottles, watching Cloud watch her, his hands in his pockets still.

"Sorry I interrupted you." Cloud frowned.

"Interrupted me?" Yuffie smiled and ran down the rows of alcohol.

"Yeah. Hot new neighbor or what?" Cloud grabbed the vodka from her hand when she chose that.

"That's not..."

"Whena man looks out of a window as intensely as you were, I know what it means. Don't worry, I don't think you're perverted or anything." Yuffie tried to grab the bottle back.

"That's not what I was doing." he said seriously. "I was just..." _hoping Tifa would come home. _"You're not drinking vodka." He said, changing the subject. She pouted.

"And who says?"

"I do."

"You're not the boss of me." Cloud continued to hold it out of her grasp.

"No, but I do have clothing older than you." Yuffie glared.

"And that means diddly squat to me, now pass it."

"Choose something else." The last thing he needed was an inebriated Yuffie on his hands.

"Geez, when did you become such a crotchety old man?"

"While you were learning your ABC's. The answer is still no." Yuffie leaned forward.

"What will I drink then?" Cloud pointed to one of the lighter concoctions, Yuffie checked it out and agreed reluctantly. She poured her self some and Cloud poured some vodka for himself. Right now, a drink didn't sound too bad. "No fair... Hey, you seem depressed. Er...more than ususal that is." Cloud was silent. He drank it down fast, taking in the gloss of the cabinets above Yuffie's head. Pouring himself another, he drank that down just as fast if not faster and still didn't feel it. Mako made for one hell of a tolerance. Yuffie watched in amazement.

"Wow, you have a tolerance like a true Wutain."

"No, more like a SOLDIER."

Reno could barely keep his eyes on the road. Tifa had shed the jacket in the heat of his car and he was definitely enjoying the view.

"So...how come you're not wearing any clothes? I mean dressed?" Reno coughed. "Dressed up?"

"It slipped my mind." Tifa said honestly. "Are we going back to the opera?"

"_Hell_ no." Reno glanced back at her. "Unless you want to?" Tifa smiled apologetically.

"I kind of want to. I've never..." Reno sighed.

"Then we'll go."

"Listen if you don't want-"

"Don't worry you're pretty little head about it. It's just that I felt like an ass sittin' there alone, listening to some woman go on and on in a language dead before the goddamn dinosaurs. It's just not for me, you know?" Tifa smiled. "So I left and I was actually about to make a stop at your place, take you to dinner or something. But maybe with you there, it'll be different."

"You just don't quit do you?" He only grinned. They pulled up to the large theater and grabbed a parking spot.

"Here we go."

Tifa was surprised there was a theater this big around Edge. How had she missed it? They walked in and immediately Tifa heard the singing. Some people were dawdling in the lobby, all dressed up, deep rich colors mixed with the white multidimensional shine of jewelry. Since when were there even wealthy people around? It was almost like a dream of somewhere she might've been in the far future. A dream where all the fractures and cracks had been simply fixed and something so normal could exist. It was a bit spooky even.

Tifa almost wished she'd remembered to dress up. Reno lead them to their seats and she was still mesmerized by everything. The set and costumes were even more grand, the instruments were clear and the music practiced. Reno sank back in his seat and counted the ridges in a chandelier. But she was determined to make the best out of it, show Reno that it couldn't be that bad. As time went on, Tifa tried to catch onto the story. Between her yawns that is.

Her eyes were just about closing when she heard the grainy electronic music that she knew all to well, especially when Denzel was around. She looked over into Reno's lap to see a bright square with little blurs moving around on it. She watched his fingers move from one button to the next.

"Loco Chocos?" Tifa was shushed by the couple in front of them. Reno smiled, the glow on his face.

"I'm impressed."

"Denzel plays it all the time." she whispered, still a bit shocked that he'd just whipped out a video game in the middle of the opera.

"Don't you think it's a little wrong to be doing this now?" Tifa asked, watching as his chocobo hopped a fence.

"Nah, I figure it would be rude fall asleep while these people are trying so hard to keep us entertained. So I'm just helping." Tifa shook her head. "You wanna play?" Tifa pursed her lips and turned back in her seat, trying to make an effort to enjoy the opera.

She watched stubbornly for a while before the electronic music beside her started getting to her.

"Reno.." The blue glow from the game gave his grin a sinister light. It said. 'I told you so.'

"Yeah?"

"Could you turn it off?"

"Level 9."

"Really? I mean..." admittedly Tifa had picked the game up a couple of times, and understood how addictive it could get. No one knew. Not even Cloud. Reno put it on pause.

"Do you want to play?" he asked slower this time, but still with all of his mirth. Tifa glanced at the woman on the stage, then to the game, the woman and then the game. "I know you want to." he said, closer to her ear than she remembered him being. She didn't answer, but the answer was pretty clear, so he took it upon himself to place the game in her hands, long fingers over hers, guiding them onto the buttons. She felt a little embarrassed, a little affronted and a little warm.

"I know how to play." she said smartly. Reno reclined in his chair, looking back to the stage.

"I know." She shook her head and unpaused it, and for the first time in a while she could say that all she was seeing was a big yellow bird, unrelated to anything blonde or spiky.

"So...what's got you down?" Silence. "Oh, come on we're friends right? You can tell me. Is it work? You overworked? Need a vacation? Oh no, that's not it is it? Hmm...I bet it's the bike. Men and their things. Speaking of, you never answer your phone. I swear you're just like Vince-" How someone could carry on a conversation so long alone, Cloud could never understand. That's what Yuffie had been doing for the past half an hour.

With just a little alcohol in her system, it turned out that Yuffie could get even more chatty. And clingy. She refused to leave him alone. They just sat in the living room, her chatting away and him sitting still and serious, tuning what he could out. Yuffie ceased her chatter and the silence made him look up.

"Wow, something really is up, isn't it?" Yuffie shrugged. "I mean, you're not the cheeriest guy in the world but geez...you are beyond emo today." The edge of Cloud's mouth quirked as the young ninja crossed her legs and leaned forward. "I'm here for you. I mean, at least until my show comes on. You have cable right?" Cloud ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the door. He tossed the remote over to her and got up.

"Stay away from the bar."

"Hey where are you going?" Cloud was half ways up the stairs.

"Bed."

"Oh, well sorry I couldn't help! Mind if I make myself a snack?"

Reno watched as Tifa played the game intensely. Level14 was the farthest he'd ever gotten and he knew it was the same for her, because she'd told him so during a period when she'd kept it paused because no one had been singing and the theater was too quiet for them go unnoticed. He'd never taken out such a considerate woman.

She was always thinking of others, but he thought it was high time she thought about herself.

He watched as her chocobo dodged a flying disc and hopped between busy traffic.

"Fuck!" Her chocobo was suddenly a pancake on the road and she looked at him apologetically. The people around them glared daggers at the redhead, muttering about his bad language.

"You're really into it aren't you?" she asked handing him the game back.

"One of my favorites. What can I say." Tifa settled back straight into her chair. Reno nudged her. "What do you say we get out of here?" She sighed.

"Yeah." It was kind of late when they came out so Tifa opted to go home. It had been a very...interesting time. Reno actually walked her to her door.

"I guess this is it."

"Yeah." she said, feeling a bit strange. She offered her hand and he chuckled, taking it, shaking it.

"I'll see you around." it sounded like a promise. She nodded and watched him get into his car and drive away. She entered the house slowly, finding Yuffie watching tv on their couch.

"Hey."

"Hey Teef! Where were you?" Yuffie said, taking a bite out of her sandwich.

"The opera." Yuffie raised an eyebrow.

"Okaaay...wanna watch some tv with me?" Tifa shook her head.

"Sorry, I'm exhausted." She stood there for a moment. "Where's Cloud?" Yuffie made a face.

"I think he's sleeping. I wouldn't bother him though, he's not in the greatest mood." Tifa kind of figured that last part.

"Thanks." Tifa headed upstairs, immediately feeling the weight of everything that was going on. She shrugged of his coat and held it across her arms. She approached his door and found herself stopping at it. She inhaled and stepped in, closing the door behind her. She just stood there against the door, trying to find her words.

But in a rare occasion he found them first.

"You're back." His voice was stark in the dark. Deep and solemn. Tifa did feel a little guilty.

"Of course I am, I not like-" It was a slip and Tifa knew that Cloud knew what she was going to say.

"Like me?" He chuckled and it startled her. But there was nothing nice about the laugh. "How many times do I have to say it Tifa?" She heard him moving, felt him coming closer to her. He was right in front of her, she could never get used to the way his eyes would glow in the dark.

"What?"

"That I'm sorry." She knew that he meant it.

"Sometimes it's not good enough." _And sometimes I don't want you to be sorry._ She felt his shoulders rise as he inhaled.

"What would be good enough?" Tifa bowed her head.

"I don't know." He was so close, too close.

"You don't know..." he repeated. She could nearly feel his words on her cheek. Her heart skipped, it wasn't fair, it wasn't_ fair_...

"But I...I know that you can't keep jerking me around."

"I never meant to-"

"You _never_ mean to. Take responsibility for something." Tifa swallowed.

"I am, Tifa I don't know what you want from me."

"I want..." Cloud moved away from her, a realization coming over him.

"I don't think you even know what you want Teef. I don't know what you were trying to prove by going out with him tonight, but one thing is for sure-"

"What I'm trying to prove?" Tifa found herself getting angry. "Who said I was trying to prove anything?" He was silent. "Maybe I just wanted to have some fun. Maybe I needed to try something new! Maybe I'm tired of the same thing over and over again."

"Well did you have fun?"

"As a matter of fact I did." She moved closer to him. He 'hmphed.'

"Right."

"What's that's supposed to mean?"

"Just what it sounds like Tifa."

"You don't believe me?" Cloud gazed down on her, his gaze serious.

"I'm not so convinced, no." Tifa poked him in the chest, which she just noticed was bare.

"Well...I did. I don't care if you believe it or not."

"I think that you do care." Tifa frowned. "But I'm not going to stand in your way. I want you to be happy." Tifa was a little thrown off by the sincerity in the last part. He couldn't just up and say stuff like that while they were fighting!

"Well..good!" Cloud headed to his bed. "I'm going to bed." she said. Cloud sat down on the bed.

"Goodnight Teef." Tifa paused, her body shaking.

"Goodnight." she left his room shaken up, angry, and basically confused. She thought that maybe things would calm down now. But she was wrong.

Yuffie watched television downstairs, oblivious to the altercation that had just gone on above her head. Her attention was suddenly drawn away from the tv, when she heard the stairs creak. She looked over to see Marlene standing on the last stair.

"Hey kid. Wanna watch?" Marlene came over, sitting herself in the same chair Cloud had been sitting in. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"I couldn't."

"Why?" Yuffie gave her a piece of sandwich.

"Cloud and Tifa were making a lot of noise." Yuffie shifted uncomfortably.

"Ick, okay didn't want to know that. Okay Marlene, sometimes adults have what I like to call 'special time.'"she said, complete with finger quotes. Marlene blinked.

"When they're fighting?"

"Wait what?"

They were fighting. That doesn't sound so special to me." Yuffie sighed.

"Oh, okay...never mind." A lightbulb went off in Yuffie's head. That must be why Cloud was acting that way, he and Tifa were having trouble!

"Tifa went out on a date. At least that's what it sounded like to me and Denzel."

"With another man! No way!" Marlene yawned. "Who?"

"I don't know. He's nice but now it doesn't look like Cloud and Tifa will get married."

"What does he look like?"

"He's really tall and he has this crazy red hair." Marlene said, waking up. Yuffie paled.

"You gotta be kidding me, Reno?"

"Yeah! That's his name!"

"Wow."

"I wish I could do something. Me and Denzel have tried everything. But they won't get married." her small shoulders slumped. Yuffie grinned.

"Who said we can't?" she asked, an evil glint in her eye.

"What?"

"We could help put the bandages on, if you catch my drift." Marlene's brow furrowed.

"You're weird." Yuffie sighed.

"Stay with me little girl...we could be matchmakers! I like Cloud and all but he's not exactly great when it comes to matters of the heart. He's gonna need some help and we can give it to him! We'll be his personal cupids! He'll be back with Tifa in no time!" Marlene was swept up in the young ninjas enthusiasm.

"Yeah! And they'll get married!"

"Uh...sure!"

The two stayed up as long as they could making a game plan. A game plan that hopefully wouldn't prove to be a disaster. Hopefully.

(A/N: Hey, sorry for the wait. But I'm finally on winter break and have a chance to sit down and write. Well, a lot has happened in this chapter. There will be more Cloti action in the next though. I'd really like to know what you think. Hasta Luego. I really hope you enjoyed it.)


	6. Decisions

The bar didn't suddenly erupt into chaos after the little chat in Cloud's room. In fact, things had quieted down _a lot_. It was sometimes hard to tell whether it was out of spite or awkwardness, but Cloud and Tifa found that neither of them had much to say to the other, outside of business.

"The news is depressing. Read something else. Can I have the funnies?" Cloud glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and pulled the section out, sliding it over to her.He was once again interrupted by a great sigh. "There are no good ones. How bout entertainment?" He swallowed his coffee.

"Don't you have something to do?" Yuffie scooted her chair towards him and thrust her face in his newspaper.

"Like...?" she scanned the sections, quickly eyes moving up and down the rows. He emptied his cup.

"A hobby, a_ job_, someone else to bother."

"No, sorry." She tapped the paper. "Hey, single white male seeks...uh...anyone available? Sounds like you!" His mouth tightened into a line.

"Go find your own paper."

"Okay stingy, I'm just trying to help. You should try one of these ads." Tifa snorted near the sink. Yuffie looked thoughtful. "Savior of the world seeks..."

"Some peace and quiet." he finished, still trying to read his newspaper.

"Don't be silly. No one will go for that. It's boring." Cloud looked up.

"Yuffie."

"Cloud..." she smiled at him, bright eyed.

"I'm going to attempt to read my newspaper now. If you interrupt me again, I'm going to physically toss you out." she only smiled, watching the blue of his eyes gleam just above the paper.

"Okay, Mr. Grumpy pants. I'll be good,_ if..."_ He sighed and sat back in his chair.

"If? No, either you be quiet or I toss you out. See how that works?" Yuffie scooted her chair closer and he raised an eyebrow. She leaned in and he frowned.

"I'll be quiet if you go out with me." Tifa stilled, then did something that sounded like either choking or laughing. He was shocked enough to almost let the grip on his paper slip. He quickly recovered though, looking at her and wondering if there was something seriously wrong with her.

"No." Yuffie rolled her eyes.

"You didn't even give it thought."

"I don't have to. How old are you anyway?"

"Grown."

"Hm."

"Listen, you old..." Cloud suddenly got up and closed the couple of inches between them. It was as effective as he thought it would be. Yuffie quickly got up and scrambled a few feet away, hands in the air. He took a few steps toward her and she scrambled a few feet back. "Tifa get him away from me." Cloud cracked his knuckles. "you're actually going to throw me out?" Cloud only watched her. "Fine then. I'm _leaving._"Cloud sat down and flipped his paper back up, returning to his reading as Yuffie took her exit.

"You should be nicer to her." Cloud lifted his head from his paper, not really sure if he had heard it at all. Tifa was the reason for most of the silence between them and he'd given up trying to start conversations with her. He still didn't understand why she had been so angry with him. She went out with a Turk. Had fun with said Turk, _supposedly,_ and expected him to just be okay with it. He didn't think it was so wrong of him to say that no, he wasn't.

He couldn't imagine it was surprising by any degree. She knew how he felt about anything related to that damned company. And still she'd gone out with him. Out of all the Turks she had to pick the most annoying one. And so naturally when it became clear that she would do what she wanted regardless, he only told her the truth. _I want you to be happy._

And still she was angry with him. He didn't understand what she wanted from him. He'd apologized for the kiss he still couldn't explain, after she'd been clearly horrified by it and she wasn't happy with that either. He just couldn't do anything right. And as much as he loved that woman, and as much as he'd give for her, sometimes she just _irritated _him. Usually by way of how much she confused him.

"Hm." he really didn't have much to say on the issue. Tifa tried again, a little annoyed.

"Why not?"

"Why not what?" he asked, scanning his paper. She glanced at him over her shoulder.

"Why not go out with her?" he gave her his full attention.

"You're serious?"

"Well..."

"She's a kid." Cloud didn't care how old she got. He didn't think he could ever see her as anything but a kid. He did care about her and he could tolerate her pretty well, but dating her was out of the question.

"I think it's cute." Cloud returned to his paper.

"Hm."

Marlene tugged at the ribbon in her hair, and looked around the front of the bar. Yuffie finally appeared and dragged her by the arm to the side of the bar. Whipping out a sheet of paper from who knows where, she knelt in front of the little girl.

"Okay listen, this is going to be a lot harder than I thought." Marlene pursed her lips.

"I told you. Me and Denzel have been trying for forever."

"Well, Cloud's not biting."

"Biting what?"

"He won't go out with me." Marlene got this hard look in her eyes that was so much like Barrett it was scary.

"Hey, I thought we were trying to get Cloud to go out with Tifa, not you!" Yuffie slapped her forehead.

"We are."

"Then how come you're trying..." Marlene gasped, and looked as disgusted as a little girl could. "You're not tricking me are you? Do you like Cloud too?"

"God no. I prefer for my men not to be such assho...ho.." she coughed.

"It's okay, Dad slips around me all the time." she smiled, as if she were proud of it.

" Anyway point is, I'm not doing this for me. You always want things that are wanted, so that's why I'm doing this. Besides, I don't _do_ blondes."

"I don't get it."

"Okay, if I go out with Cloud, then Tifa will see that he is... desirable. Because I want him, she'll want him too." Marlene scrunched her nose.

"I don't think so."

"What do you mean you don't think so?"

"I don't think it's gonna work." Yuffie knew the girl could possibly be very right, but she held her ground. "Tifa isn't like that." Another point.

"Okay well, we do have a plan b. But for right now, you know what you need to do right?"

"Yeah."

Over the next few weeks Yuffie continued to pester the man, and not so surprisingly his answer remained the same. But she wasn't the only one who was making herself a constant presence in his life. Cloud set his keys down on a table and sat down, observing the customers on the bar. It was something he did often, and even though Tifa thought it ridiculous, he knew you could never be too careful. He'd have to go to work in a half an hour anyway.

And just like clockwork, the door swung open and in stepped the second sudden constant in his life.

"Hey, Strife." Reno said, standing at the side of Cloud's chair. But the blond did nothing, he didn't respond or make any move to acknowledge his presence. He only watched him stand there and grin, his face very much the opposite. Reno's grin dropped and he rolled his eyes. "I come in peace." Cloud scoffed before he could stop it. "Can I sit down?"

Farther off, Tifa bit her thumbnail unconsciously. Cloud sat back and looked at him, but did nothing to stop him when Reno pulled out a chair, spun it around and sat down on it. "Now that you've had time to think about it..." Cloud narrowed his eyes.

"You know my answer."

"If you just-"

"My answer is final."

"ShinRa-"

"Reno." Tifa called from across the bar, hands on her hips and her lips pursed.

"Fine." Reno said, glancing at Cloud and moving over the bar. Cloud relaxed his fist, and exhaled. It was one thing that the man insisted on bothering Tifa, who much to his chagrin, seemed to actually enjoy it. But every so often he'd bring up that award and it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to be civil. He didn't trust Reno a lick, and the only reason he hadn't tossed him out already was because for whatever strange reason, Tifa seemed to actually prefer to have him around.

There was a burst of laughter from both Tifa and Reno and Cloud ignored it. He just didn't understand it. He didn't like it either, Reno was becoming such a presence that even the children were talking about him. Marlene especially. As if on cue, the little girl came running down the stairs, pigtails swinging. But instead of running over to Reno like he was sure she would, she came over to his little table.

"Hi Cloud." she smiled and he felt a bit of his sour mood lift. He didn't have a soft spot for much, but Marlene and Denzel proved to be exceptions.

"What are you up to?" he asked, as another bout of laughter from the two swept passed him. Marlene blinked.

"Up to?" her eyes got wide and he raised an eyebrow. "Uh, nothing. Just playing with my dolls. Well, I _was_." Cloud held his smile back.

"What did Denzel do now?" he asked, already figuring it was destruction of some kind. He wouldn't smile though, because Marlene had always been very sensitive about her possessions. Especially her dollies.

"He took it's head off. And put it in the microwave." Cloud tapped his fingers, he was really hoping this was a phase with the kid.

"Did he give it back?"

"I don't want it back now, it's all melted." she pouted. In that instant Denzel came jumping down the stairs. He was in the chair next to Marlene in nearly three seconds flat.

"I knew you'd run right to Cloud." Marlene crossed her arms.

"So. You're the one who melted Stacie's head!"

"Well now you have another dolly to go with beach dolly and doctor dolly. Headless dolly."

"That's not funny."

"Yes it is. Cloud she-"

"Cloud he-"

"Alright calm down, both of you." The two quieted. Cloud was still getting used to the parent thing, so their silence kind of surprised him. "Denzel, no more destroying her dolls. You have to respect other people's things. Besides, didn't Tifa and I just get you that..."

"Super slime shooting, ultra action-"

"Yes that. Now, I don't want to hear about any more dolls in the microwave." Cloud nodded, pretty sure that was parently enough. Denzel shrugged and Marlene leaned forward to Cloud, with her hand shielding her mouth.

"Tifa says, he does things like that because he likes me." she whispered loudly. Denzel narrowed his eyes.

"I do _not._" Marlene sat back and spoke normally.

"Do too. You just can't admit it. Like Cloud." Cloud was so stunned he wasn't even sure he heard it. He missed Marlene's smile. "Boys just don't understand things that girls do." Marlene looked at her hands. "I was watching tv, and the lady said, that boys don't understand feelings and stuff."

"Feelings are for girls."

"Nope, just yesterday you know what Reno said to Tifa?"

"What did he say?" Cloud asked before he could stop it. His eagerness to know earned looks from both children. He tried to downplay it but it was too late.

"He said, 'I really like you.'" she giggled and put her hands over her mouth. Denzel crossed his arms and suddenly found Cloud to be his mirror image. Both boys watched each other, arms crossed.

"I don't like it." Denzel said, even his frown matching the older man. Marlene elbowed him.

"Well of course you don't. You can't even-"

"Are you going to talk about feelings again?" Marlene frowned, he was going to ruin the whole thing.

"I'm not talking to you." she turned to face Cloud. "You know, if Reno marries Tifa I'll still like you." Cloud rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Thanks, Marlene." There was a long empty silence. "Okay you guys, I'm going back to work."

The two ran off and Cloud got his keys and stood up, Reno and Tifa's laughter following him out of the door.

Tifa watched him leave, her laughter dying down quicker than usual. She knew how Cloud felt about Reno and was grateful that he was at least being civil, but she hated the silence that had developed between them. They talked normally now and then, but not as much as they used to.

"Come on, you'd enjoy yourself." Tifa was reluctant to say yes, just because, well she didn't know. Maybe she was afraid the really put herself out there again, or create any more problems. She thought of the children and the kind of environment she wanted for them. Certainly not one where the 'parents' didn't even talk to each other.

Even after Cloud made it known that he did like the whole thing, but wanted her to be happy, it hadn't made her feel any better. She really didn't understand why that was. She hated to admit it but Cloud's current civilness, might just be getting under her skin more than anything. But hadn't she wanted him to be civil? Tifa hated that she even had to ask herself this, but maybe she did want him to be a _tiny bit _jealous.

Now why would she want that, if she was supposedly over him? There was no doubt in her mind that she needed a change in the old routine, but sometimes she just wasn't sure. Tifa realized a little bitterly that Cloud had been right, she didn't know what she wanted.

Just thinking about how much he had to do with everything in her life, disgusted her a little. It couldn't possibly be healthy or right for any grown woman. Maybe some space would be good for the both of them, maybe she'd gain enough sanity to figure out what she really wanted. "Come on, I have tickets to a new movie you'd probably like..."

Tifa looked at Reno, almost wanting to tell him that their first 'date' had been practically a direct result of a fight she'd had with Cloud. Again, she saw just how much Cloud had to do with everything.

"You know, I think I will." Reno nodded, and Yuffie came downstairs looking a little shifty.

"Oh hey Reno."

"Hey." Yuffie continued to stare at him for what seemed like minutes on end. Reno gave her a strange look and returned his attention on Tifa. "Okay, well be ready around eight, the movie starts at nine, but it take at least a half an hour to get there."

"So it's far away?" He nodded. Tifa sighed, good. Good start.

"So, what are you seeing?" Yuffie asked, smiling strangely. Reno frowned and Tifa raised an eyebrow.

"Some movie about a girl who loves this guy who loves this girl."

"Oh."

"Oh." Tifa rested her chin in her hand. "Is that a movie _you _want to see?" Reno shook his head.

"Doesn't matter." he drank the last of his drink and got up. "I gotta go though, see you tonight." he took her hand and kissed it before she could refuse, and she blushed a deep red. Yuffie rolled her eyes as he left the bar.

"That is so cheesy." Tifa swallowed.

"I know, but it's kind of...sweet."

"Sure. He's even going to see a chick flick for you. Aw." Yuffie made fun and Tifa took a swipe at her with her rag.

"I don't care what you say, it's sweet. If Cloud-" she stopped herself. Yuffe shook her head.

"Speaking of Cloud, he's taking me out tonight." Tifa nearly stumbled.

"He's...Cloud?"

"Yeah, he said he'd be honored to." Yuffie fibbed. Actually in the short conversation over the phone, he'd been more like, _'Will you stop pestering me if I say yes?' _Under normal circumstances, Tifa would've seen right through her, but the news flooded her head and left her a bit unfocused. Never in all the years she known him had he willingly agreed to... "Maybe this could become a regular thing?" Yuffie said, leaning on the counter. Actually Cloud had made it pretty clear over the phone that this would be the last and only time. But Yuffie planned to either change his mind or put in plan b into full action.

"What are you doing?" Tifa asked, regaining herself. Smiling.

"Uh, he said anything is alright with him." Actually it had been more like,_ 'I don't care just pick something. Something quick.'_

"I can't believe you actually got him to agree."

"I think I just finally broke him down."

"I suppose so." Tifa bit her lip. "You really like him?" Yuffie had to make this lie a good one.

"Yeah, I..." she cleared her throat. "really do. I like him a lot. He's so...awesome." Yuffie avoided Tifa's eyes. "It doesn't bother you does it?" she asked innocently. "I mean you and Cloud..." Tifa pursed her lips.

"Of course it doesn't bother me, I think it's cute."

When eight o clock rolled around, so did Reno's car. Right on time. Compliments were traded, and they were off to the movies. Nearly ten minutes after they left Cloud came home from work, not really in the mood for anything else. Cloud took the note off of the fridge and tossed it in the garbage.

_Out with Reno, kids are in bed._

_-Tifa._

He wondered how long they'd been out together. It was at that moment Yuffie came in, wobbling on high heels. She looked a complete mess, kind of like she had tried to get dressed up or resemble a girl, but hadn't quite made it.

"What happened to you?" Yuffie did a strange hop and threw herself against the bar, next to him. She smiled, and he noticed she had put on lipstick, which looked a lot more like she'd just finished having a spaghetti dinner.

"You mean, when did I get so dead sexy?" Cloud looked at her dress, which wasn't a bad choice. But it didn't look at all natural on her, she was practically swimming in it.

"If that's what you want to call it." She stood herself up, and picked at her eyelashes, black residue coming off on her fingers.

"You look...nice." she said, trying really hard to turn on the charm, and feeling a bit sick doing it.

"I look like I always do." Cloud took both her hands to help her stabilize herself. "Come on, let's get this over with." Yuffie inwardly felt the same way, but kept her smile, determined to be charming. Plan A counted on it.

"Okay, the movie starts at nine."

"The movies?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah, it's a while away so lets get walking." Cloud helped her move to the door.

"Yuffie, we're not walking. The theater is nearly thirty minutes away, driving."

"But, my motion sickness..."

"Well choose something else then."

"No! We have to go to the movies!" Cloud was nearly startled. "I'll just...hold it in." He looked at her for a long time, then proceeded to the door.

The ride to the movies was horrid. Cloud was wondering every few minutes if Yuffie would suddenly toss her cookies all over him and his bike and she wondered the same thing. He actually had to make a few stops on the way for Yuffie not do just that, and by the time she came stumbling out of the second restroom stop they were seriously late.

But either way, they finally made it to the movies, Yuffie woozy and on high heels and Cloud in a bad mood. When she couldn't move he simply carried her in, determined to get the whole thing over with. When they made it to the ticket booth, Yuffie was on the floor next to his feet, clutching her stomach. Everyone around was watching them. He remembered what she wanted to see and got the tickets.

"Two tickets to some movie about a girl who loves this guy who loves this girl."

"That'll be twenty gil." he handed over the money, got the tickets and picked Yuffie back up and tried to find the theater.

They both sat down in the first seats available to them. Yuffie eventually regained herself and some of her dignity and went on with the plan.

"Thanks for carrying me. You know, I could've walked on my own, but you know, thanks." Cloud nodded and slid back in his chair. The movie was already fifteen minutes in, but neither were really paying attention to it. Yuffie saw that Cloud's eyes were drifting closed and coughed loudly.

"Could you get us some candy, popcorn whatever..." Cloud looked at her and got up reluctantly, brushing passed her. When he was gone Yuffie went into action. She grabbed her bag and pulled out her binoculars, looking first with just her eyes to see if she could catch any hint of red.

"Gotcha." she caught sight of Reno and Tifa some rows down, watching the movie quietly. Plan B. But first she realized needed to really push plan A to the limit. She would have to turn up the charm some more. How was Tifa going to turn green unless Cloud fancied her? But some how she figured Marlene had been right. Tifa wasn't a jealous woman and Cloud really didn't seem to be any where near falling for her.

Cloud dropped the bucket of popcorn in her lap, and sank back into his seat. Yuffie grinned.

"This is really romantic." Cloud looked at her bemused, and turn again to the movie, his eyelids already low. "Cloud..." she whined. He looked at her again, eyes sleepy and glowing.

"_What?"_

"You're a bad date."

"Yes, I am."

"We could see another movie if you like." she said too sweetly, through her teeth.

"What I like doesn't matter."

"Well, what_ do_ you like?"

"Peace and quiet." he let his eyes slide closed. Yuffie huffed at his familiar answer, what an ass. He was a hard nut to crack. Yuffie yawned and put her arm over the back of his chair and he didn't seem to notice. Yuffie watched him for a while and when she deemed it right she moved her arm down to his shoulders, carefully. Nothing. Then, she laid her head on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" she looked over to see two narrowed eyes.

"Putting the moves on you. You don't like it?"

"No, I don't. Surprising I know." Yuffie took her arm away and clicked her tongue. Okay plan A, officially over.

"You know Cloud, you are absolutely hopeless." Yuffie put the popcorn on the floor. "It's not like this was easy for me either, I was just trying to help you." Cloud raised and eyebrow. "Don't eyebrow raise me, I'm just trying to help you get Tifa back, but you know what you do? Act like an asshole." He sat up then, not ignorant the annoyed looks they were getting from people around them.

"What?"

"You, Tifa. Obvious trouble in paradise. I was trying to you know, deliver her from the evil clutches of gogglehead over there, but you just _suck_ at thi-" Cloud was still trying to wrap his head around what she was saying, he didn't understand.

"_What?"_

"Oh my god, it's totally obvious you're jealous."

"Im not..."

"You are! And I was _trying _to help you."

" I don't..." she thrust the binoculars in his face.

"Take a look at this." he frowned and humored her. She pointed him in the right direction and immediately his vision was flooded by Tifa and Reno. He had his arm around her. _He had his arm around her._ He lowered the binoculars.

"So what?" he said, jaw clenched.

"So what? So Reno is moving in on her. I can help you get Tifa and get rid of Reno. I'm good with these things. And you are seriously hopeless."

"Tifa can do what she wants."

"Do you really not care?"

"No, she's an adult."

"So it's really finished between you two?" Cloud slunk back in his seat.

"There was nothing to begin with."

Cloud dropped Yuffie off at her house shortly after, and he rode over to the bar, his mind other places. He tried to go to bed but after an hour Tifa still hadn't made it home. Another hour passed and he was pacing by the window. Then another hour...

"Hey Cloud." she said, smiling. He looked at the clock, one thirty. He put the top piece of his sandwich on.

"I was making...a sandwich." Tifa knew better. He'd been waiting up for her. He looked at the simply turkey sandwich. "You can have it if you want." He wasn't hungry at all.

"No thanks, Reno took me out to eat after we saw another movie." Cloud frowned, unconsciously checking her appearance.

"There are diners open this late?" Tifa set her bag down on the bar.

"Yeah."

"You could have called." Cloud hated the way it sounded, but he said it anyway. Tifa remembered saying that exact same thing to him.

"Well I'm here now, safe and sound." she laughed, but it was clearly forced. Cloud gritted his teeth. Safe and sound. How could there be any such thing around that skeezy, untrustworthy...

"That's not the point."

"What is the point then?" Cloud really didn't have an answer that he was sure would not sound stupid or offend her somehow. He was silent.

"There really isn't a point to this is there? Except that you can't seem to handle that I might want more. I do want more Cloud, and I'm trying to take steps towards that. You're good at starting things, but you never keep it up. If you don't want me...then that's the way it is. But I can't keep on going back and forth with you. Is this different Cloud? Do you mean it this time?" Cloud was silent. Tifa was right. Tifa was always right. He frowned when he found himself noticing the dress she was wearing. She had worn that out with Reno. He felt like taking her up to his room and taking it off of her. He knew that if he said that this time he was for real, she would let him. She would let him touch her in the places that made her make those sounds he sometimes still dreamt about. But the truth was, he didn't know. But he did know that if they slept together tonight, nothing would be different in the morning.

He didn't know if he could ever give himself to her the way she wanted, and he didn't know why. It wasn't as if he didn't want to. He just...couldn't. And he was sure other men could, and it killed him. It made him want to tell her that he could be the man she wanted, even if he knew full well that he couldn't. Not now, and maybe not ever. But he couldn't do that to her, he couldn't lie to her again or ask her to wait. It wasn't fair. He was the one who was screwed up, she shouldn't have to pay for it.

He was tired of fighting. With Tifa and with himself.

"I don't know." Tifa looked as if his honest answer had knocked the air out of her. "I'm sorry." The only thing he felt he could do was accept it. And if that was giving up, then he guessed he was doing that too.

(A/N: Kind of a somber way to end the chapter and overall not as much Cloud and Tifa as I would've liked but I had to set everything up. I do have plans for the next chapters though, and it's definitely not the end of Yuffie and Marlene's meddling. In fact, if everything holds up there should be more of that and Cloti interaction in the next chapters. Hopefully things stay constant and I'm able to update sooner. I hope you liked this chapter. Thanks for all the support!)


	7. Deeper Still

Things had returned back to normal. Things were so normal in fact, that they weren't very normal at all.

"Cloud, wake up." she whispered from the doorway, knowing better than to think he would actually wake. Maybe about a month had passed since he'd stood before her with that honesty she knew he would never be able to help, and put an end to the dance they'd been caught in for years.

And she was happy it was over. She really was. "Cloud." she called again from the doorway, feeling silly. She hadn't been in his room since then, she hadn't pulled his curtains back for the morning light he grumbled through his sleep about, she hadn't joked with him that he ought to just get a coffin and be done with it.

She hadn't done any of that because things were _not _normal. She was dating a Turk, moving on with her life and no longer waiting for Cloud to come around. It was big, and though she hadn't expected balloons, confetti or anything like that, she thought that things would be...different.

Again she was the idealist. Except now she wasn't wishing Cloud would rush into her arms to tell her that _'I'm sorry, I love you.'_ but '_sorry that I don't love you but I'm happy for you and Reno and we can still be best friends' _

After mulling it over in her head she knew that was never going to happen. Cloud didn't ever make his feelings completely known since he clearly didn't much understand them himself, Cloud didn't at all seem to be on the way to even respecting Reno, and somehow the 'best friends' part was just not happening these days. They were fighting more than they ever had. They had become distanced and they were both responsible. Because in reality the depth of their conversations were instead something like_ 'I'm sorry, alright Tifa? Does it really matter if the whites and colors go in together?' _

On the outside things looked just fine. And that was good, because the kids didn't need any strife in the house. Tifa took a breath and padded into his room, standing not very far from the door. But inside something kind of ludicrous was going on. As everyday passed she found she was getting kind of...angry.

If ever there was a time to be angry, this wouldn't be it. She and Cloud had finally addressed the elephant in the room, she was with Reno, she had a beautiful family, things had never been so good. She walked closer to Cloud, halfway into his room. He slept like the mercenary he used to be. As if he was anticipating some kind of attack even in his sleep. He was always so guarded. But that was perfectly normal for him. Tifa frowned. Well at least one of them was finding it easy to return to normal.

She still looked at Reno's blue eyes and saw Cloud's darker ones. She still felt like she had a lot to say, and she still couldn't believe that a part of her life was definitely over. After being stuck on him for so long, and then after one night finding the best reason to end it for good, it felt surreal. She couldn't just suddenly act like nothing had changed, like she wasn't still adjusting.

And it drove her crazy that Cloud seemed to have adjusted just like that. He really didn't seem to be phased at all, and in a way it was kind of insulting. Now more than ever did it feel like a onesided deal. And part of her felt that he was just pretending in order to placate or just outright avoid the feelings involved in this new development. If that was the case then she definitely was angry. The avoidance he was so good at was just another way of giving up.

But in the end she was guilty of it too, because she was hiding behind her smile, reluctant to do anything that would disturb the peace of the house. And maybe if she masked it long enough as she moved on, it would disappear completely. It wasn't really her business what was going on in his head anyway.

He would handle it his way and she would handle it hers, she needed to pay attention to herself and her life, not keep on dwelling on him. Despite her new attitude she found she couldn't reach a hand out to nudge him from his sleep, or call his name loud enough so that he might wake. For those things were still far too normal and reminded her of a time she was trying to separate herself from. It was ridiculous and she knew it, but it was just the way she felt.

And she wasn't exactly in a hurry to start up any more awkward conversation so early in the morning. She shook her head as she turned to leave, but as she headed for the door his closet caught her eye. She stopped, looked at his clothes, looked back at his sleeping form.

"Gaia, what's wrong with me?" she muttered to herself, taking slow reluctant steps towards his closet. It had been such a long time, such a long time. And she was a little curious how it would feel. Cloud's hugs were rare, but they were always a treat. As guarded as he was, the times he actually decided to reach out a little, he would pull her into him slowly enough for her to always refuse, and even though she never did, he held her so softly that she knew he was again giving her room to pull away before he did. But she never did.

And if they were alone then he might linger until he was bold enough to press his mouth to hers.. Tifa touched the sleeve of one of shirts. Somehow, those particular hugs always ended with her waking up in this room, naked and alone. It was funny, that was the only time he ever woke up before her. He was natural at avoidance, and more comfortable in the physical than anything else.

And yet after nights like those, she had been disappointed every time to find him off somewhere else, doing some chore and almost indifferent, as though he hadn't just kissed her, or touched her. She was always hoping he was saying something with his body that he wasn't saying with his mouth, but she knew better. It was partly the reason she'd reacted that way when Cloud had kissed her that one morning, she could feel something different about that, the difference always present when he made to really start something.

And she just... didn't want to be let down again.

Anyway, when she looked real close on those mornings after, he looked tired and guilty, as if he'd known he could give her nothing else beyond that, as if he'd taken advantage. Tifa wondered, was it still taking advantage if she had been willing? She wasn't going to kid herself. If she had ever been a victim it was because she let it be so. And lately she found herself thinking a lot about the physical connection they would never have again. She missed his smell more than ever. It was something like shower water and bike fuel. Mornings after they'd 'made love,' there had never been even a trace of anything like the pleasantly pervasive scent of aftershave. No cologne either, just his scent, as soft and as unobtrusive as an ethereal little flower girl.

And as she leaned her head into the closet, she thought of Reno and she felt like she was doing something she really shouldn't. She buried her nose in his shirts, rising to her toes. She promised herself that she would never do anything strange like this again, but that if there was something in her that felt this was necessary to cope than so be it. Another part of her labeled it as the big copout that it was.

"Tifa?" Cloud's voice cut through the air, and she stumbled away from the closet.

"Cloud." she breathed, startled. She looked at him and saw that he was standing by his bed, looking as disturbed as she felt.

"What are you doing?"

"...I was collecting the laundry." Cloud only stared. He knew better, but he was reticent to push it. It was too early to be confused or in an argument. He ran a hand through his hair and shrugged, heading to the bathroom after glancing at his watch.

"You might want to check the hamper then." he said on his way out of the door. Women. He was never going to understand them.

When he stepped into the shower, he turned it as hot as it would go. He tried to put Tifa out of his head, and the fact that she had finally managed to come into his room after a month of hovering at his door. Yes, he'd known. At the first soft steps approaching his door, he would rouse from his sleep, which was easy since nowadays he couldn't catch a quality ounce of sleep anyway. He'd been able to feel her presence at his door, hear her voice in it's weak attempts to wake him. So many times he just wanted her to come in an make a joke or something, bug him endlessly in the morning like she used to do. Was she determined to make this harder and more complicated than it had to be?

Cloud leaned his head against the shower wall, breathing slowly as the scalding hot water beat against his skin. He was annoyed with Tifa lately, and he wasn't sure it was because of that strange behavior, or how she seemed to be looking for a fight every five minutes. It wasn't like her. If his hands weren't already full with being utterly confused and unusually irritated, he might be scared too.

He had never been around many women, he didn't understand them, and he knew he never would, but there was something to be said about a woman's wrath. Wrath he believed to be completely unwarranted, but serious wrath nonetheless. And it was strange too, because for the first time he was catching onto something as indirect as it could get. Tifa didn't scream or yell or even cry a lot...that he knew of. So he found that the wrath that confused and irritated him, came through a barrage of looks and glares. He wasn't even completely sure she knew she was doing it.

He didn't know why it was so hard to say : _'I'm angry.'_ Or even : _'I'm angry for these specific reasons...' _because really, he wouldn't mind it being spelled out for him. It was too much guesswork and by the time he even noticed she might be angry, he was in absolutely no mood to figure out why. He actually wondered how many years he'd been blind to those looks, how many years he had earned more of those horrible looks for not seeing them in the first place.

He really just did not want to think about any of the things that had happened. He did not want to acknowledge it, or think about how it made him _feel_, he just wanted to bypass it. Tifa was better off with someone who could give her more, and he wasn't that person. And there was nothing he could do about it. End of story. Cloud snatched the shampoo off of the rack and squeezed some into his hair. He had already lathered up when his nose started to burn. He looked at the bottle again and found that it was in fact not his shampoo. He looked around for his ordinary, unscented brand and it was no where to be found, which was funny since it had been there yesterday.

The damned mako seemed to never have stopped flowing through his veins, and annoying everyday occurrences like this only served to remind him. He didn't like any of the bottled scents Tifa and all 'his' little girls seemed to favor for the simple reason that his senses had remained so acute he couldn't suffer a cloud of the stuff without being in a bit of a fog afterward.

There was something about those artificial scents that really did a number on him. Cloud washed up quickly rinsed his hair out as well as he could before stepping out of the shower. He had to get to work soon anyway. But as when he opened his closet door, all of his clothes were gone. As if by magic. He stood there and stared for what could've been an eternity. He frowned, tightening the towel around his waist and headed downstairs. As he descended the stairs Tifa glanced up from the pancakes she was making, and then went still.

"Cloud?" There were a couple of things wrong with this picture. First, Cloud was half naked. Second, Cloud was so private he didn't even like to fix his bike with anyone around.

And Third, they had customers. Customers currently in the bar. Staring. "Cloud, what in the world-"

"Have you seen my clothes?" Tifa looked at him like he was crazy.

"Have you checked your closet?" Cloud's mouth tightened.

"Yes."

"And what? Is nothing clean?"

"No." He watched her, suspicious. "Everything in there was clean, and now nothing is in there." It was kind of ridiculous to think Tifa would take his clothes, but he didn't see who else it could be. Tifa wouldn't do something like that, even if she was angry with him...Right? Gaia, had he missed another angry face, was she angry with him right this instant? He stared intensely at her face and Tifa blinked, kind of put off. She returned her attention to her pancakes, her mind full of things she would have to get done in the limited twenty four hours.

"Cloud, we have customers." Cloud took his eyes away from her, the green fading away. He looked at his watch, thinking he had somehow lost track of time and was already late with his deliveries. But it was still pretty early.

"It's eight thirty." She shrugged piling up another pancake.

"I know."

"I thought we opened at ten." he said, irritated by the eyes on him, but seeing that it was too late to do anything about it. He was also bothered by the fact that he hadn't noticed any of them until now. She sighed.

"I open early on Monday's now, I told you a couple of weeks ago remember?" Cloud frowned, how was he supposed to remember that? "But you're so often in a fog around here I guess you wouldn't." Cloud refused to respond to that. That was exactly what he meant, little remarks like that were so plentiful these days. He felt like she was bating him, but he rarely ever bit. He was trying to keep the peace, but he sometimes felt like he might be close to seriously taking the bait and getting to the bottom of whatever was bothering Tifa. Though he was sure he knew already. But that wasn't realistic. All he ever found himself doing was ignoring her when she got like that, and letting it roll off of his back. Tifa hoped he might do the opposite and acknowledge the walls he built around himself and possibly let them down.

Now more than ever did she need him down on earth with her.

"Tifa, I have to get to work. And there are no clothes in my closet." Tifa shook her head and flipped another pancake. Cloud went back to watching her closely.

"Let's see." she sighed. "I might have left some clean clothes of yours on the washing machine." Cloud gave up trying to explain that his clothes were not dirty but _gone_, and headed to the laundry room, figuring he would just handle it later. Work was the first priority. Maybe it was the kids playing a trick on him, though he knew he hadn't been in the shower that long and removing all of the clothes from his closet would be a hard task for them. Even as he walked passed their room now, he could see that they were all mostly still asleep, the others were sitting up in bed wiping the sleep from their eyes. Marlene was still burrowed under her covers.

After checking the laundry room and seeing that there were no clothes of his anywhere in there, he headed to his room, once again checking his closet. Only this time, it was full of clothes. But not his. In fact, he'd never seen a bit of the wardrobe in his life.

There were new shirts, pants and shoes in his closet. There were two suits, and the rest were colorful t shirts with pants to match and a few pairs of jeans. He closed his mouth, though still in awe, anger a close second behind. Someone was going to pay later, but right now it was time for work. After choosing the least ridiculous shirt, and a pair of pants that wasn't like a second skin, he got his sword headed downstairs, slumped and already tired of the day.

As he descended the stairs, yet again Tifa froze. She tried to form words, but none would come. Yuffie, who was sitting at the bar, smiled brightly, pushing a slip with his deliveries for the day towards him.

"Helllooo Cloud!" Cloud didn't look at either of them, only took his list and headed for the door. Tifa was so dumbfounded she didn't even have the chance to give him his breakfast before the door swung closed behind him. She didn't understand it, Cloud hated change. He only seemed to enjoy what was ritual and familiar. She had been trying to get him to do new and interesting for what seemed like years.

"Did you see that?" she asked Yuffie, still looking at the door.

"Yup, Cloud 2.0, hot and improved." Yuffie said proudly.

"His shirt had skulls on it." Tifa said curiously.

"Yeah, it's what's in style now." Yuffie smiled. Tifa felt a bit old in that moment.

"Oh, I didn't know..."

"What? You don't like it?" The ninja suddenly looked a bit saddened.

"No I...I.." Tifa laughed. "...it's just not like him at all. He _hates _change."Yuffie shrugged.

"I'm sure there's something he hates more."

"Yes. Shopping." Tifa shook her head. "It's just not like him. I have to force him to shop for himself, and when he actually does all he buys are armor and things for his bike. Now he's wearing shirts with skulls on them and tight pants. Gaia, maybe things are worse than I thought..."

"So you don't like it."

"No, it's just...unexpected. We're both doing a lot of changing. I'm sure I'll get used to it." But Tifa had the distinct feeling that Cloud wasn't happy at all about this particular change. She couldn't imagine why since he had clearly made the change himself.

"With tight clothes like that, I'm sure I will too." Yuffie said, smiling.

There were three names on his list he had never encountered before. He could see that they were last minute add ons and he knew he would have to go pick up their packages before he could drop off anything else. He was officially an hour or more late on the job. Another half an hour later he pulled up in his first customer's driveway. Her house was pink.

In a colorless, grey place like edge it wasn't often one saw any bright colors. Not even in the spring. He knocked on the door and as if she had been standing on the other side of the door the whole time, the door opened before he could knock a second time.

"Oh!" The bright-eyed woman fluffed her hair. "I wasn't expecting you so soon. Come in." Cloud held her package out.

"Sorry, I can't. I'm on a tight schedule Ma'am." The lady looked at him strangely.

"Wow, you're really taking this seriously huh? Okay, I'll take my" she put up finger quotes, "_package_ now." Once she had it in her hands she stepped out of her house and nearly pressed herself against him. Cloud blinked, stepped back.

"Miss, I don't..."

"Oh, trying to play coy. Hm...I didn't expect it, but I like it. I'll play too." Cloud looked around, horrified by the look in her eye. He knew how to handle people (his job depended on it) but now, he didn't really know what to do. When she slunk a little closer he put his hands up, as if to ward off some kind of animal. "So what's in the package delivery boy?"

"I just deliver it."

"Oh, I bet you do. Why don't you come inside and show me how." She started rubbing the package. Now faced with a clearly determined woman, Cloud was completely lost. He knew how to deal with people, but this was entirely out of his league. She was a woman, which of course made it infinitely harder. And she was...completely nuts. "Come on, let's stop playing around. We both know the delivery thing is a cover."

" I have other customer's Miss." he said seriously. She stopped.

"In one day? Gaia you get around." Cloud had the distinct impression there was something he was missing.

"I have to go."

"But we...I want my fifty gil back!"

"No refunds."

"No, I want my money back, not a refund. Because refund actually means I got something.

"Your packa-"

"I want my money back, savior of the world or not." she said, arms crossed. He looked her in the eye, she returned the look. He sighed and wordlessly reached into his pocket and pulled out his gil, eager to end this and get to his next stops. He handed her fifty gil and she gave him back the box. " Thankyou. And you can take this back, it's empty anyway. But I'm sure you knew that already." she rolled her eyes and stepped back into her house, slamming the door shut.

The two other deliveries to the names on the list he didn't recognize, went in similar fashions. And with his new wardrobe and the three extremely friendly female customers hastily added onto his list, something clicked. Yuffe.

"What in fuck's name are you wearing?" Cid's place was the last stop and Cloud was so physically and mentally exhausted upon arrival that he hardly cared anymore. "You're wearin' fuckin' girl pants."

"I don't have time for this Cid. Do you want the parts or not?"

"Okay, don't get all defensive. S' just as a friend I'm concerned that you're wearin' girl pants. And you look like hell. What'd you do, release knights of round on yourself?"

"Drop it Cid." There was a tone in the blond's voice that made him comply, for now at least.

"Fine, you got the parts?" Cloud handed him the package. "Alright, now maybe I'll be able to get this fuckin' thing done.

"New project?"

" 'S a ship of course, just scalin' it down a bit. Make it more convenient for more frequent use. Shera was complainin' that I never made nothing...what did she say?...uh practical. Whatever the fuck that means. She can use this to get around and stop botherin' me."

"Why don't you just buy her a car." Cloud said, looking around the garage. Cid looked insulted.

"A car? Fuck that shit. No goddamned car can match my quality." Cid looked up from the box. "Hey Spike." Cloud looked at the captain, solemn looking even in the ridiculous getup. "Whatever is goin' on with you, fuckin' forget it. You're a man, and men don't fucking cry and wear girls' clothes when the world makes them its bitch." Cid took a thoughtful pause. "The world is _your_ bitch. Got it?"

On the drive home, the sparse countryside was a blur of dead foliage, the sky nearly all darkness. The day had crept by, but driving home he realized how much of it had escaped him. When he pulled up, he saw Yuffie standing outside in the yard, talking with Marlene. As he approached them, they looked up, wary.

"I need to talk to you."

"Okay, bye Yuffie." Cloud steered Marlene back to her spot.

"I need to talk to you _both._" Marlene and Yuffie looked at eachother. "You two have been making a lot of trouble for me."

"We just wanted you and Tifa to get married!"

"Marlene! God! How could you just give it up like that! And just for the record I did not guarantee marriage."

"He knows already." she looked at Cloud. "I'm sorry! I just didn't want you and Tifa to fight and be sad anymore." Cloud looked at the little girl.

"I don't want you worrying about us alright? Everything's fine."

"Really?"

"Really. And whatever you're doing with Yuffie, I want it to stop." Marlene nodded reluctantly.

"Okay."

"Alright then, head off to bed." he would deal with the marriage thing later. When he had Yuffie alone, his disposition noticeably changed. He was silent for a long time, and Yuffie could feel his anger.

"I want all of my clothes back in my closet by tomorrow Yuffie." there was a clear unspoken warning. "I want everything that you took back in its place, and if you ever interfere with my business again, I'm going to have to take a trip to Wutai."

"Hey I only wa...hey, what do I care if you go to Wutai? Ooh scary, are you gonna tell my dad?" she rolled her eyes.

"I'll be talking to him, yes. To inform him of his daughter's sudden and mysterious disappearance." Yuffie paled a little.

"You wouldn't dare. You hide it deep inside, but I know you like me."

"Tifa likes you." he said, as if to suggest it was the only reason he tolerated her. Yuffie wasn't sure if he was joking or not. It was rare, and nearly indistinguishable from regular serious Cloud, because his humor was of a dark and resigned kind, easy to miss and usually mistaken for something else.

"Cloud, I only had your best interests in mind. Those clothes look hot on you! Tifa was totally speechless!" Cloud was silent. "And I only told those women you ran an escort service on the down low so that you could spend some time with them. I thought that if you spent time with a couple of women, maybe you'd understand them more. Cuz let's be honest, you're clueless in that department." Cloud only looked at her.

"Those women wanted more than company Yuffie."

"But...hey, you don't think I..." Cloud's look intensified. "I did not tell them you were a prostitute! The first lady was kind of a nut and I just wanted to get off the phone so I...oh..." Yuffie slapped her forehead. "I might've made it sound like you would...like you were...uh.." she grinned. "I'll fix it!" He almost looked alarmed for a split second.

"Just have my clothes back in my closet by tomorrow." he said walking towards the bar. "And stay away from Marlene."

Without saying anything else to anyone he headed up to his room. And there, sitting on his bed was Tifa. He stepped in and closed the door behind him, just wanting to shut the world out for a couple of minutes. Despite the feelings between them, he didn't want her to leave.

She looked up at him when the door shut.

"Oh." she breathed, looking alarmed. She looked at his clock. "I didn't know so much time had passed." She got up, embarrassed that she had been caught in his room, again.

"Tifa, wait." she stopped, looked at him. The only source of light in the room was the light from the street lamps outside, which wasn't much at all. "Stay." There was a space of silence.

"You had a bad day." she said, watching his mostly shadowed form lean against the wall. He chuckled. That was a supreme understatement. "Mine wasn't that great either. Come over here, I feel like I'm talking to myself." Cloud raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe that's not a good idea Tifa."

"Don't be silly, come on." Cloud sighed and came over to sit on the bed with her. He sat far enough away from her that he was comfortable but he felt her hand searching for his he could not deny her. He took her hand, in the process moving closer than he wanted. "I smell peaches."

"That's probably my hair." he said flatly. Tifa was silent for a couple beats.

"But I thought you hated artificial scents?"

"I do."

"Oh." She said, deciding not to inquire anymore about that. The air was buzzing with things to say to eachother. Tifa moved closer to him, damning herself. This bed was so familiar, even his touch was familiar. And she wasn't sure whether the current fire in her veins was because these things were familiar, or because she would always yearn for them. She prayed it wasn't the latter.

Always was a long time, and she wanted to move on with her life. For real, and not just pretend to. But could she move on? Was she just fooling herself? Cloud turned his head away, trying to separate himself a little. What had he done, asking her to stay?

"How can you pretend like everything is normal?" she spoke out in the silence.

"I'm not."

"So is this really so easy for you?" Tifa wanted to know, was she the only one struggling with the fact that it was probably never going to happen for them? He sighed.

"What does it matter?"

"Because it matters, Cloud. I don't know why you do this."

"Do what, Tifa?"

"Avoid everything that isn't easy. You even avoid me." she said, clearly hurt. "I've loved you for so long and I can't just stop, even if it is really over between us. It's taking time and effort and it's...so hard. I wanted to know if it's hard for you too." Cloud looked pained.

"It's pointless to talk about this, It doesn't change anything." he said looking away from her.

"Why is it so pointless?"

"Because I can never give you what you really need, someone else can. What I feel is irrelevant."

"Not to me." He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Damnit Tifa, did you ever think that maybe it's better that we don't talk about it?"

"Why? So we could ignore it? Avoiding things doesn't make them go away, you only hold onto them until they tear you apart. Why can't you let us get over this?"

" You're the one dwelling on this."

"I'm trying to face it, so that we _don't_ have to dwell on it anymore." He turned to face her, the bed creaking. The scant light shining through the darkness outside pierced the darkness inside his room, outlining her white face. He cradled her cheek, feeling her breath on his neck, her heart clamoring through her skin.

"Yes, it's hard Tifa." he finally said, his voice betraying his anger to her, only tempered by the tremble so obvious in his words. "It's hard to see you with him, to see you laugh and smile with him." There was something different about his touch as it boldly moved to come upon her neck, the electricity in his fingertips racing like light, brightening her cheeks, warming every place he had not yet touched. Everywhere she suddenly wanted him to touch. It was one of the most pitiful moments of her day. She was supposed to be strong, but the weakness she had for him seemed to always win.

She was despondent, but it was shaded over by the hand suddenly at the zip of her shirt. "I keep on hurting you Tifa, I can't..." he left off watching her face as his hands seemed to move of their own accord. Cloud somehow knew this wouldn't end well, but once he'd taken the chance and let himself touch her, he knew he wouldn't be stopping unless she asked him to. He was a horrible friend, doing this. When he knew he couldn't give her more than just this, that he would wake up in the morning next to a beautiful woman that could be his, and leave her sleeping by herself.

He could never live with himself afterwards, but in moments like this he wanted to make her his any way he could. If his heart wasn't available, his body always was. "I don't want to see you with anyone else..." With a jolt, Tifa heard Reno's bike shutting off outside. Cloud drew his hand down her side, watching her chest heave. "I do love you. I've loved you since I was eight. But...something about me...I can't...love you like you need. Someone else can." he took his hands away, suddenly sickened, his own words really bringing home how much he shouldn't be doing this. "So how I feel is irrelevant. This is not something I can change. I'm sorr-"

"Don't. Don't say it." Tifa exhaled shakily, zipping her shirt back up. "I know you love me. I've known it for so long, and I didn't understand why you refused to acknowledge it, acknowledge _me_. Sometimes I thought that maybe you really didn't love me like I loved you." She looked out of his window. "But I get it now." His expression was questioning. "You know that I would take on any problems you have. We could handle them together. But I know you like to handle things like that alone, you think that you would be some kind of burden because you have problems, and I that I deserve someone without them." she shook her head. "Cloud, there is no one like that. We all have problems. But you were always really noble..."

Tifa looked him in the eye. "You're right. There is something in you that keeps your walls up, that won't let you love me the way I need. Because you know that I need all of you, and you won't let yourself do that. But it's not because you're noble. It's because you're afraid." Tifa wiped at her eyes. "How can you let fear come between us?" She was angry, but tried to calm down. She thought about Aerith. "I know you've let you're guard down before and have been hurt, and I can't promise that if you let them down now you won't ever be again, but this is worth taking a chance on. But I think you're okay with being afraid, you think it's safe...but it's just you...giving up. And... I'm tired of trying for you. I can't keep this up, no matter how much I love you." She rose to her feet and walked to his door, her hand on the knob. "Unlike me, at least there is something you can_ do_ about your _predicament_." she said bitterly, leaving him sitting in the dark.

(A/N: First off, Sorry, sorry, sorry! I had the worst block with this story and of course the ususal lame excuse...life. XD I want to thank all you awesome reviewers/readers for the inspiration, you really pushed me to work! But quite honestly, I feel like this chapter is awful and pretty damn raw. I don't know, I've stressed with this chapter so long I don't know if anything could be good enough. But if You've read this and are kinda wtf-like then know you're not alone. About the rawness, I just wanted to get it out to guys as soon as possible. Oh, and during my long absence with this story I did do a lot of revision with this whole fic. I don't know if it's drastically different, but if you want to, def. check it out. The end is coming soon, as in possibly the next chapter soon, so hopefully I can get that out sooner. As ususal, I love to hear your thoughts! Sorry again for the delay!)


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